


Adrift: Part One

by PandaTurtle333



Series: S.O.S. [10]
Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, Loss, Romance, slow-burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:41:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 41,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25176316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PandaTurtle333/pseuds/PandaTurtle333
Summary: In book nine, part one of “Adrift”, Anna and the others try to build toward the better future they fought so hard for. With the communities working together, however reluctantly, it seems to be within reach. But will everyone be able to move beyond the past? Or will it all drift away?
Relationships: Daryl Dixon/Original Female Character(s)
Series: S.O.S. [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1229975
Kudos: 6





	1. Prologue

Anna stood outside of the junkyard, a backpack of supplies and her spear hanging over her shoulder. She pressed her lips together and approached the storage container pulling the doors open. Her boots echoed on the metal as she walked to the other side. With a huff, she knocked on the inner door and waited. A few minutes later, the door creaked open to reveal Morgan.

“Hey,” she said, giving a small smile.

“What are you doin’ here?” Morgan asked.

“Nice to see you too,” Anna teased. “I brought you some supplies.”

Morgan sighed and stepped aside, allowing Anna to walk into the junkyard. She’d never come here before, and was surprised to see such a large area cleared out.

“Why the junkyard of all places?” Anna asked, setting the bag of supplies down.

“It was far enough away I didn’t think anyone would come out here,” Morgan said, leaning on his stick.

“Sorry to disappoint,” Anna said.

“You didn’t just come here to bring supplies,” Morgan said, pushing the conversation along.

“You caught me,” Anna said, moving to sit down on the edge of a torn-up sofa.

Morgan shook his head, picking up the pack and sitting beside her as he went through it.

“Do you remember the man I told you about?” She asked, cutting right to the chase. “The one I could have killed but didn’t.”

“I remember,” Morgan nodded, handing her a bottle of water.

“His name was Isaac,” Anna said, accepting it and taking a quick swig before she passed it back. “He did things--terrible things--to me, probably to others. I killed him. I tried to give him a chance and he tried to kill me, so it was self-defense, but… I can’t stop thinking about it. Whether or not there was something more I could’ve done.”

Morgan was quiet for a long time, sipping on the water once before capping it and setting it on the ground between them.

“There was a time when I would have said that killing him wasn’t the answer,” he finally said. “Now, I don’t know….” He shook his head, wiping his hand down his face. “I don’t have all the answers.”

“I know,” Anna said. “It’s all just so,” she waved her hand in the air, leaning her elbows on her knees and dropping her head, “complicated.”

She took a deep breath, watching a little bird jump around on the ground in search of food while Morgan sat silently beside her.

“We have to choose our own redemption,” she said. “And he didn’t.”

Finally, Anna shook her head and shifted, leaning back to look at Morgan.

“Are you okay?” She asked.

“No,” he said solemnly. “I don’t think I am. It’s why I came out here.”

“I get it,” she said, nodding. “When you’re with people… it’s hard. You get sucked into all sorts of things, you have to make hard decisions, you have to compromise.” She brushed her hair away from her face. “Being alone isn’t much easier, but… sometimes we need that.”

Anna tapped her fingers on her knees, chewing on her bottom lip before she pat her knees and stood, grabbing up her spear and starting toward the exit.

“You’re leavin’?” Morgan asked, following her.

“Yeah,” Anna said, pausing and turning back to him. “You need this. To be alone for a little while.”

“And you?”

"Daryl and I are taking care of Sanctuary until the Saviors are ready to stand on their own,” she said. “After that… we’re going to a little house in the woods, away from everyone but not too far. We’ll take our time.”

Morgan nodded.

“You take your time too, Morgan. Come back when you’re ready,” she said, patting him on the shoulder.

She turned and slipped into the storage container.

“Anna,” Morgan called through the door and she looked back. “Please, uh… don’t come back. Tell the others not to come either.”

Anna nodded, a sad smile on her face. He shut the door, the lock sliding into place. Without another word, she continued on out of the storage container and away from the junkyard.


	2. Chapter One

Anna opened her eyes to the dark room. The sun had yet to rise, but it felt early morning. She rolled over in bed to see she was alone. With a sigh, she pushed herself into a sitting position and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She pulled the covers back and got out of bed to start her day, moving through the converted office. They had been offered Negan’s old quarters, but had refused.

It had been like this for over a year; she’d wake up alone, go to the courtyard to do her exercises and train, then she’d go about her day of dealing with the ins and outs of Sanctuary. She’d see Daryl every once and awhile throughout the day, but mostly they saw each other in the evenings, when she made them sit for dinner.

She knew he hated being back here. She tried talking to him about it, but it seemed to only make him angry. Now she just tried to make him feel normal—as normal as one could feel in their situation.

After going through her morning routine, Anna made her way to the factory floor. She spotted Daryl sitting on a platform, eating a bright red tomato from Hilltop. She walked over to look up at him.

“Morning sunshine,” she greeted, smiling.

He took another bite of his tomato before reaching beside him and grabbing another. He tossed it down to her. She caught it and rubbed it against her clean shirt.

“Thank you,” she said, taking a bite from the plump fruit.

She turned to lean against one of the supports of the platform and ate her breakfast, surveying the working Saviors. She tucked her hair—which had been cut to just below her shoulders—behind her ears.

Laura walked up then, her long, blonde hair braided down her back and her neck tattoo peeking out from her collar.

“Anna, Daryl,” she greeted. “Emma’s here to see you,” she said, looking directly at Anna.

“Thank you, Laura,” Anna nodded, pushing herself from the platform.

“Right, yeah,” Laura said, heading off.

Anna sighed. Even after all this time, most of the Saviors were still nervous around Anna and Daryl, but quite a few of the soldiers were hesitant in particular with Anna. It had been like that since it got out what had happened to Isaac—at least, some version of what had happened. It didn’t necessarily help that she always carried the spear that did the deed.

With a see-you-later to Daryl, Anna headed for the courtyard, where she saw that familiar head of red hair. Emma’s back was turned as she looked down at the yellowing stalks of corn, which were being picked.

“Emma,” Anna called in greeting, a smile spreading across her face.

Emma turned and grinned back at her, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“The corn looks pretty dry,” Emma said, watching a wheelbarrow of the dried-out corn as it passed.

“Yeah, some of it survived and we’re storing it, but—” Anna shook her head and brushed her hair from her face. “The rest is just going to have to be made into fuel. Glad we have Eugene here to help us.”

“It’s a good thing we got here when we did,” Emma said, turning to gesture to the cart laden with supplies as it passed through the gates.

“We’ve got some fuel to trade for it; I’ll have it loaded up,” Anna assured.

Emma nodded, and they walked with the cart the rest of the way. Anna surveyed the food, deciding that what they were being given would last them another two months before the next crop of corn came in. She figured four large cans of corn fuel would be enough in exchange.

“Justin, Jed,” Anna called. “Get some guys and start unloading this stuff. Put it all in storage for now. After that, load up some fuel for them. Give them four cans.”

“Four? Seriously?” Justin snapped.

Anna narrowed her eyes.

“Yes. Four,” she said firmly. “Do it.”

“Whatever,” Justin huffed, gesturing for Jed and a few others to help him start unloading.

“He always like that?” Emma asked as Anna turned away.

“Unfortunately,” Anna muttered as the two headed inside.

Anna led the way to the stairwell, pausing by Arat.

“Hey, can you oversee the unloading and loading of the wagon?” Anna asked.

“Yeah, no problem,” Arat assured.

With a nod, Anna and Emma continued upstairs. After a good climb, the two made it to the office Anna had claimed.

Inside was nothing short of clutter. It was as though a notebook had exploded in the room, with papers and sticky notes tacked to the wall. The desk itself was so covered with papers and books, the surface of it was obscured completely. Books that didn’t fit on the few shelves were stacked on the floor.

Stepping around the mess, Anna turned on the lamp, bathing the room in a soft, yellow glow. They sat in the only two chairs available, and Anna handed Emma a stack of pages. Emma reached into her bag and pulled out a leather folder, taking out a similar stack of pages. They exchanged papers and sat back in their seats.

“How’s Daryl?” Emma asked as she scanned the deliberately neat words on the pages, taking out a red pen and marking things.

“He’s all right. Still hasn’t been sleeping too well,” Anna replied, doing the same.

“Can’t blame him,” Emma sighed.

“Not at all,” Anna agreed. “What did you mean here?” She asked, holding one page out to Emma, and pointing at a sentence she had underlined.

Emma read the sentence over before explaining her meaning. Anna nodded and offered alternative phrasing, writing it down on a notepad and paperclipping it to the page.

They continued like this for a while longer until they had made it through the pages and it was well into the afternoon. It had become tradition for them whenever they met to exchange their writing, a way for them to connect and hold on to something. They had a tendency to write about their experiences in the form of short stories and poems, which often led to interesting conversations.

Once they were satisfied with their critiques and edits, they returned each other's works and left the office, heading back to the factory floor. The food had been stored and the four cans of fuel loaded up when they arrived. Daryl walked up to them then.

“Thanks for the food,” Daryl said as he stopped in front of them.

“Of course. We’ve got to help each other out, don’t we?” Emma asked with a grin.

Daryl hummed in response.

“I’m goin’ to check the traps,” he said, looking at Anna.

“If you’ll wait, I can go with you,” Anna offered.

“Nah, I’ll be fine,” Daryl said, shrugging and walking off. “Be back for dinner,” he threw over his shoulder.

Anna pursed her lips.

“We should probably head out,” Emma said, calling her attention.

“It’s going to be dark soon. Why don’t you all stay the night here?” Anna offered

Emma grimaced.

“Not everyone has entirely warmed up to the idea of being allied with the Saviors,” she said hesitantly. “But you’re right. We shouldn’t be traveling so late.”

“Good, I’ll make the arrangements,” Anna grinned.

* * *

After getting everyone from Hilltop situated in a room with food, and Daryl had come back from checking the traps, Anna invited Emma back to her and Daryl’s room for dinner. The three sat around the table with bowls of rabbit-stew steaming in front of them. Conversation was mostly carried between Anna and Emma, with a few comments from Daryl every once in a while.

“So, do you think your next crop will be any better?” Emma asked, blowing gently on a spoonful of stew.

“We can only hope,” Anna sighed. “Maggie was good to let me copy some stuff from that book Georgie gave her. But I’m worried. This is a factory, not farmland. We may have to rely on Hilltop and Alexandria’s generosity more than anyone is willing to.”

“We all want this to work,” Emma insisted. “The only way we can do that is together.”

Daryl huffed, and the two women looked to him expectantly.

He shook his head and stuffed his mouth with stew to avoid speaking. Anna frowned at him before looking back to Emma.

“I just hope everyone feels that way,” she said.

* * *

After dinner, the three cleaned their dishes and Anna walked Emma to her room. They walked slowly down the hall, the only sounds being their boot steps on the tile.

“Is everything okay?” Emma asked.

“What do you mean?” Anna asked, furrowing her brow.

“I mean with everything. You guys have been living here for over a year—after what happened to Daryl here and what happened with Isaac….”

“It’s been difficult,” Anna admitted. “The workers have been happy with us being here, but some of the soldiers… I can tell they’re having trouble trusting us.”

“Like they’re afraid they’ll be the one at the end of that spear next,” Emma mused.

“Yeah…,” Anna sighed. “Arat and Laura have been working hard, stepping up, but even they seem hesitant—Arat less so, but…,” She shook her head.

“You can’t expect people to start getting along overnight,” Emma pointed out.

“I don’t—but it hasn’t been overnight. It’s been over a year,” Anna insisted. “At some point, things have got to calm down.”

“Calm down for who?” Emma asked as they stopped in front of her door.

Anna paused, frowning deeply as she looked to Emma.

“Everyone,” she finally said.

* * *

The next morning, Anna, Emma, and Daryl made their way down to the courtyard, where the rest of the Hilltoppers were preparing to leave. Anna and Emma hugged each other.

“It was good seeing you again,” Anna said, pulling away after a brief moment.

“You should come by Hilltop soon,” Emma said.

“Soon,” Anna agreed. “After we get the next crop planted.”

“Good,” Emma grinned.

“I didn’t do shit,” came a frustrated snap.

The three looked over to see Justin and a Hilltopper staring each other down. Justin gave a condescending smirk before he turned away. The Hilltopper grabbed Justin’s shoulder to stop him from leaving, only for Justin to whirl around and punch him square in the face, knocking him to the ground.

“Hey!” Daryl shouted, darting over.

Anna and Emma followed close behind, Emma going to her companion and Anna going to stand between them, holding out her hand to give pause to the Hilltoppers aiming the guns at the Saviors brandishing only knives.

“Dan, you okay?” Emma asked.

“The hell is goin’ on?” Daryl growled, holding Justin back.

“This piece of shit said I shorted them their fuel,” Justin explained.

“You told him to load up four cans. There’s only three in there,” Dan said as he got to his feet, wiping his bloody nose.

Anna looked inside the cart to see that there were indeed only three cans of fuel—and a suspicious stain on the wood.

“Arat,” Anna called, and Arat stepped forward. “You saw him load four cans.”

“Yeah, yesterday,” Arat assured.

Anna remembered seeing four cans in the wagon and pressed her lips together, looking between Justin and Dan. Then she looked down and frowned.

“Get the damn fuel,” Daryl said, shoving Justin back.

“Wait,” Anna called. “Dan, give me your left boot.”

“What? No,” Dan huffed.

“Anna?” Emma asked, confused.

“Trust me,” Anna said, staring up at Dan.

“Just give it to her,” Emma said, shaking her head.

Dan scowled, but kicked off his left boot and handed it to her.

“Steel toe? Nice,” Anna praised. “You spill something last night?” She asked, pointing to the toe of the boot, where it seemed the dusty boot was darker than the rest of it.

“Yeah, some water,” Dan said, frowning at her.

“You sure it wasn’t fuel?” Anna asked.

“It was water,” Dan repeated.

Anna hummed and nodded. “Daryl, can I borrow a match?”

Daryl pulled out a match box and handed it to her. She held the boot under her arm and took out a match, striking it against the box. The smell of burning wood wafted toward her face as the flame settled.

“So, if I touch this to your boot, it won’t catch on fire?” She asked, holding the boot in one hand and the match in the other.

“Boots burn,” Dan pointed out.

“Not quickly, and not with a little flame like this,” Anna said, bringing the flame closer to the boot. “And water doesn’t stain.”

“Dan, did you take the fuel?” Emma asked.

“No,” Dan huffed. “Now give me my damn boot back.”

He reached for his boot, only for Anna to take a step back and touch the flame to the toe. It quickly caught fire. and she dropped it to the ground, waving out the match before it burned her.

“Where’s the fuel?” Anna asked. “Judging by the mud in your sole, you took it outside the gates. Probably to pick it up on your way back to Hilltop, right?”

“Dan,” Emma said, frowning at him. “Why? What was the point?”

“I don’t have to explain myself,” Dan sneered.

“Uh, yeah, you kinda do,” Emma bit out.

“They were gonna give us more fuel—what they gave isn’t enough for everything they’ve done,” Dan said, his face turning red. “No amount of fuel would be enough.”

“Get on your horse, pick up the fuel you hid, and get back to Hilltop,” Emma said, glaring at Dan.

“I think I should get an apology,” Justin said.

“Shut up,” Daryl snapped.

After his boot stopped burning, Dan snatched it up and spat on the ground at Justin’s feet. He turned toward the horses before he looked back at Anna.

“You know, I was ready to follow you and Rick to the end of this thing. But look where you’ve led us,” he hissed.

Anna said nothing as Dan turned and climbed onto his horse, trotting away through the gates and down the road.

“He won’t be coming on drops anymore,” Emma said from beside Anna. “I’ll make sure of it.”

“I think that would be best,” Anna said, turning to her. “You guys have a safe trip back.”

Emma nodded and climbed onto her own horse as the other Hilltoppers readied to leave. She turned her horse around and bid Anna and Daryl farewell before she led the others out of the Sanctuary courtyard after Dan.

Anna turned around and the gathered Saviors began to disperse, leaving her alone with Daryl. Justin shot her a look she couldn’t quite read and walked off with Jed, disappearing inside the factory.

“Should of just gave ‘em the extra fuel,” Daryl said, walking up to Anna.

“If they needed more, they would have asked,” Anna said, shaking her head. “It wasn’t about getting more. You heard Dan. It was about getting even.”

“Ain’t nothin’ gonna make things square,” Daryl argued.

“And maybe we need to accept that and move on,” Anna said.

“Like you did with Isaac?” Daryl huffed.

“And like you did with Dwight,” Anna replied easily “Look, nothing is going to get better if we don’t start working for it. I need you to try. That’s all I’m asking.”

Daryl stared at her, working his jaw.

“Yeah, fine,” he finally said, stalking off.

Anna let out a long exhale, closing her eyes to try and fend off the migraine that was forming. She brushed her hair out of her face and took a deep, steadying breath to get herself together and started inside.

“Inventory on the produce is done,” Arat said, walking up beside Anna and handing her a clipboard. “With how we’ve been rationing, should last us about two months.”

“Good,” Anna said, pausing to scan down the list.

After the battle, a lot of the workers and some of the soldiers had decided to leave Sanctuary, either joining the other communities or leaving altogether in search of something better. She didn’t blame them as she looked around the factory floor. But it didn’t make their food situation much better, especially with the corn dying.

“We’ll set aside the potatoes and onions like last time,” Anna said, handing the clipboard back to Arat. “What do we have left from the last drop?”

“After dipping into it the past two weeks, about a third of what we saved,” Arat said, tucking the clipboard under her arm. “It’s still good, but I’m not sure for how long.”

“Okay,” Anna nodded. “Push the potatoes for rations tonight—boil ‘em, mash ‘em, stick ‘em in a stew.”

“Isn’t that from _Lord of The Rings_?” Arat asked, cocking a brow at her.

“It is,” Anna grinned. “Anything else?”

“Uh, yeah,” Arat said before pressing her lips together. “Just… we wanted to thank you for… sticking up for Justin.”

“We’re in this together now,” Anna shrugged. “Dan was wrong to do what he did.”

“Yeah, well, thanks,” Arat said awkwardly, backing up and turning to walk away.

Anna watched her gather Laura and a few others to start separating the food. There was still tension—there would be for a long time. It was a precarious situation they found themselves in, and she was toeing a very thin line. What happened with Dan and Justin wasn’t the first incident, and she was certain it wouldn’t be the last.

She wondered if trust was even feasible.

* * *

Anna lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Daryl had left an hour ago to have a smoke. He’d been doing that a lot more recently. She drummed her fingers on her stomach, wondering when he planned on returning.

With a frustrated huff, she threw the covers off and sat up, shoved her feet into her boots, and headed for the door. She reached for her spear leaning against the wall beside the door—second nature by now—but paused. Perhaps it was the spear that made the Saviors uneasy, she thought. Maybe, to gain their trust, she needed to show them a little first. She left the room without it, a flashlight in hand.

She started down the stairwell to the courtyard, where Daryl usually went for his nighttime drag, moving silently through the factory floor. She found him exactly where she’d expected. At her approach, Daryl put out his cigarette, tucking what was left in his breast pocket. She sat down beside him, close so that she could lean her head on his shoulder. Daryl adjusted his arm so that he could lean back on it and support Anna. Taking a deep breath, Anna relished in his scent of Earth and cigarettes.

“You didn’t bring your stick,” Daryl said after a while.

“Didn’t think I’d need it,” Anna muttered, relaxing into him. “It’s been over a year. I figured it was time to stop acting like the Saviors are going to turn on us any second.”

“Still could,” Daryl huffed.

“They’ve outnumbered us this entire time. If they were going to, they would have done it by now,” Anna pointed out.

They were quiet for a little while longer, looking out over the courtyard and garden. Anna knew why the crops were failing. There was no room for them to grow in the planters, and none of them were farmers. They lived in a factory—they weren’t equipped to produce food. Or anything for that matter, since the building had been gutted.

Anna shook her head and sat up, kicking her feet so that her heels bounced against the concrete platform they sat on.

“The crops are failing,” Anna said.

“Yeah. And?” Daryl asked.

“They’re going to keep failing,” she said.

“How pessimistic of you,” he teased.

“I’m serious,” Anna said, shoving him gently. “This is a factory.”

“So, I’ve noticed,” Daryl said, rolling his eyes.

“My point is, we need to be a factory,” Anna said.

“Not this again,” Daryl sighed, pulling away from her. “We’ve talked about this. They ain’t gonna allow it.”

“Maybe, if I can just talk to Rick and the others—” Anna started, only for Daryl to shake his head.

Anna jumped down from the platform and paced in front of him.

“We can make all the fuel we want from the corn, but it’s not going to be enough,” Anna said. “We need more than just fuel. We need bullets.”

“And what about food?” Daryl asked.

“We’ll trade for it. Provide fuel and bullets to the other communities to get what we need here,” Anna explained, like she had every time they had this conversation.

Disagreement was more accurate.

“It’s our best option,” Anna said stubbornly.

“The point of this whole thing was to get them to stand on their own,” Daryl said, hopping down as well. “This ain’t that.”

“It’s us relying on each other’s strengths,” Anna corrected.

“We’d be relyin’ a little too much on the Saviors if they’re the only place we’re gettin’ bullets from,” Daryl said firmly. “Ain’t nobody gonna go for that.”

“Why shouldn’t I try at least?” Anna asked. “It’s been over a year, and what do we have to show for it? The Sanctuary isn’t contributing anything more than a few cans of fuel when Hilltop gives us food. We need to do more if this is going to work.”

Daryl stared at her for a moment. She waited for his usual answer of ‘no’. It was the only reason she hadn’t gone to the others with her idea. But she was exhausted. They all were. And they were out of options.

“No.”

Anna closed her eyes and let out a long breath. Finally, she opened her eyes and gave Daryl a hard look.

“Yes,” she said. “I’m doing this, with or without your support.”

* * *

The next day, Anna sent four messengers to Alexandria, Hilltop, Oceanside, and the Kingdom with a single request.

_Meeting at the bullet factory. Tomorrow._

_Anna_

“You sure about this?” Arat asked, watching the messengers ride off.

“What do we have to lose?” Anna shrugged.

The two turned and started inside, the smell of the corn being turned into fuel permeating the air.

“Why bring me?” Arat asked.

“Because, Daryl and I can’t be here forever. We’re going to need someone to take over for us when we leave,” Anna explained.

“But why me? I mean, after what I did—” Arat shook her head.

“You’re trying,” Anna said, pausing in their walk. “You’ve stepped up this past year, and the Saviors need someone they can count on and trust.”

Arat blinked at her in surprise.

“But what I did—to Olivia, to Rosita, to—” Arat listed before Anna cut her off.

“We have to choose our own redemption.”

Arat nodded, though clearly unconvinced, and walked off. Anna shook her head and chuckled when something red caught her eye. She looked to the wall to see words written on it. Taking a few steps closer to get a better look, her heart dropped.

_Saviors save us. We are still Negan._


	3. Chapter Two

In the yard, Emma stood in front of the chalkboard, gesturing to the word problem she’d written there about the velocity of two herds and how long it would take for them to merge. The children that sat in front of her ranged from six to twelve years old, most of them seeming bored by the topic despite her attempts to convey the importance of knowing these things.

“Can anyone tell me the answer?” Emma asked. “Take the time to work out the problem. I know you guys can figure it out.”

A hand shot up and Emma spotted Addy with her curly hair and glasses sitting front and center of the class.

“Yes, Addy?”

“About two hours?” Addy asked, unsure and suddenly shy.

Emma smiled warmly down at the girl.

“You’re close, Addy. Good job,” she praised. “Can we try for an exact answer?”

“George Washington,” came a dull response from Gage at the back of the class.

Emma frowned at Gage, who sat beside a blushing Rodney.

“Funny,” Emma deadpanned. “How about you come up here and show us how you came to that conclusion?”

Gage paled before hesitantly getting to his feet. He walked up to the board, and Emma handed him the chalk. He no doubt knew that if he did anything foolish while in front of the class, his parents would hear about his behavior faster than a herd of walkers merged. That’s how it always was.

He was about to start writing when, from the front gates, Kal called out.

“Rider!”

Emma looked over to see the front gates opening and a man on a horse trot through, coming to a stop a few feet from Emma’s class.

“Can I help you?” Emma asked as the rider got down from his horse.

He was tall, with dark hair and eyes and a bit of stubble. Handsome, to say the least. He walked up to Emma, holding out a folded piece of paper.

“Message from Sanctuary,” he said, flashing her a crooked grin.

Emma hoped she didn’t blush as she took the message from him and unfolded it. She scanned the scarce words quickly before turning to the kids.

“You’re free to go for the rest of the day,” Emma announced. “Your homework tonight is to answer this question. I expect to see your work the next time we meet.”

The kids jumped to their feet, quickly jotting down the problem before darting off. Emma turned back to the Savior.

“You must be tired. Come on in and get some rest. Maggie will probably want to talk to you,” she said, gesturing for him to follow her into the house as Ken took his horse to be taken care of.

They walked inside the house, and Emma led him to the office. She gave a knock and heard Maggie call for her to come in before she opened the double doors. Maggie stood in the middle of the office, holding baby Hershel to her chest as she turned to see them, and Jesus was sitting on the couch.

“What is it?” Maggie asked, shooting the Savior a suspicious look.

“Anna sent a message from Sanctuary,” Emma explained, holding the open paper out for Maggie to read.

“What does she want?” Maggie asked as she went to Hershel’s crib and set him inside.

“She didn’t say,” the Savior said, shaking his head. “She just said to get this message to Maggie at Hilltop.”

Maggie turned back to them.

“Thank you,” she said, hands on her hips. “Emma will get you some food and water. You should head back to Sanctuary before it gets dark. Let her know we’ll be there.”

“Uh, yeah,” the Savior said, shrugging. “Thanks.”

Emma set the message down on the desk before showing the Savior out of the office. They walked outside together, and Emma gave him an apple and some water.

“Thanks,” he said. “Dean, by the way.”

“Emma.”

They stood there for a moment as Dean bit into the apple. Emma noticed that a few nearby Hilltoppers were casting nervous glances at him, whispering to each other. He didn’t seem to notice, and if he did, he didn’t seem to be bothered.

“You know, I wondered why Anna sent me here—of all people,” Dean said suddenly. “I mean, anyone can deliver a message. But,” he took another bite of his apple then gestured around at the Hilltoppers who weren’t hiding their suspicious stares, “a worker was the better choice. Less of a threat to you guys.”

“Worker?” Emma asked, surprised as they started toward his horse waiting for him at the gates.

“Yeah. Worked for points, just tryin’ to get by. I tell you,” he said, waving his apple in the air, “it’s been a lot better since Anna and Daryl took over. Sure, Daryl’s a little… aggressive? But Anna’s been a good leader. Thank you, by the way.”

“For what?” Emma asked, cocking a brow at him.

“For the food, and the deliveries to Sanctuary—never had the chance to say hi,” he said, his crooked grin back on his face. “So, hi.”

“Hi,” Emma said, unable to help the smile that spread across her face.

“Anyway, gotta head back and let Anna know what’s up,” he said, taking the horses reins and climbing on. “Hope I’ll see you soon.”

With that he was trotting through the gates and back to Sanctuary. Emma stood there, a smile on her face until she realized she was attracting curious looks. She wiped the smile away and started back to the house to request she join Maggie on the trip to the bullet factory.

* * *

* * *

Anna paced back and forth with her arms crossed over her chest. Daryl, Arat, and Eugene watched her. They had arrived at the bullet factory mid-morning before the others. Each messenger returned to Sanctuary informing her that the others would answer her summons, but she was still nervous.

She knew that what she was going to ask would be a lot, particularly for Maggie and Cyndie, the leader of Oceanside since the death of Natania. But she was sure she could sway them to her side. Or, at least, she’d try.

The sound of a car door slamming shut came from outside and Anna paused in her pacing, staring at the double doors that separated them from the outside. After a few minutes, the doors opened and Rick, Michonne, Rosita, and Jessie walked in.

“Anna,” Jessie said, a bright smile on his face as he pulled her into a tight hug.

“Hey, bro,” she said, returning the hug.

It was a relief to see him here. He’d back her up. She hoped.

More hugs and greetings were exchanged before Rick put his hands on his hips and gave her his concerned, fatherly look.

“What’s this about?” He asked.

Just as she prepared to answer, the doors opened again, and Ezekiel sauntered in, followed by Carol and Jerry.

“What’s up dudes!” Jerry said before Ezekiel could speak, no doubt having prepared a long-winded greeting.

“What’s up, man,” Jessie laughed, clapping Jerry on the shoulder.

Not long after, Maggie and Cyndie arrived, followed by Jesus, Emma, and Beatrice.

Another round of hugs and greetings passed between them.

“How’s Hershel?” Anna asked Maggie.

“He’s good. I’m sure he misses his godmother,” Maggie said, nodding. “I think a visit is in order.”

“Soon, I promise,” Anna assured. “Let’s sit,” she said, gesturing to one of the long tables left behind from when Eugene had run this factory as an outpost.

Everyone took a seat around the table, with Rick at one end and Anna at the other.

“So, what’s this all about? Your messenger didn’t give much information,” Maggie said.

“Because they didn’t have much information to give,” Anna said. “I asked you all here because I have a proposal.”

“Okay. We’re listening,” Rick said, gesturing for her to continue.

Anna took a breath and tapped her fingers against her thighs, trying to calm her nerves. Finally, she got to her feet and began the speech she’d prepared on the way over.

“We set out to create a better future. When we said that, we meant a better future for everyone, not just some of us. Everyone that would live in peace and fairness, that’s what you said Rick,” she said, looking to him. “It’s been over a year, and the Saviors have been working toward that future. But the crops are failing. Sanctuary is a factory. It needs to be a factory.”

“So, what are you saying?” Carol asked, frowning at Anna.

“I’m saying Sanctuary should stop trying to grow food,” Anna said.

"Hilltop can’t afford to give more than what we already do,” Maggie said quickly. “We don’t have the resources—”

“I know,” Anna said, cutting her off. “What I’m suggesting is Sanctuary focuses on growing corn specifically to turn into fuel. We build up our stores and share it with everyone in exchange for support.”

Rick nodded thoughtfully.

“That sounds like a good idea in theory, but can the Saviors grow enough corn to meet the demand?” Michonne asked.

Anna looked to Eugene.

“It takes approximately 11.84 kilograms of corn to make one gallon of ethanol,” Eugene said in his usual, unimpressed tone. “Since we expanded the garden, we are making quadruple that amount.”

“So, four gallons per crop?” Maggie asked. “That won’t be sustainable. The Saviors can’t keep up with the demand at that rate.”

“And that is why I want the Saviors to produce one more thing,” Anna said.

“What?” Cyndie asked.

“Bullets.”

No one said anything for a long moment, staring at her with mixed reactions and rapidly shifting emotions.

“No,” Maggie snapped. “Absolutely not.”

“Hell no,” Rosita agreed.

“After everything they’ve done, you want to give them bullets?” Cyndie asked. “Are you nuts?”

“We aren’t arming them,” Carol added.

Anna waited quietly as they ranted at her, her eyes on Rick at the other end of the long table. He stared back at her silently, seeming to be contemplating her idea. Finally, he spoke.

“Enough!” He shouted. “Anna, you can’t seriously want to arm the Saviors.”

“I’m not asking to arm them. I’m asking to let them make bullets,” Anna corrected. “We need them. It’s an ever-depleting commodity.”

“Then one of the other communities can make them,” Maggie said.

“Oceanside knows fish, Hilltop knows crops. Kingdom and Alexandria are too far from the machinery to do it,” Anna listed off. “A lot of the Saviors already know how to make bullets, thanks to Eugene. This is the best way that Sanctuary can contribute to the future we’ve all been working toward.”

“So, what? You’ll bring the Saviors here to make everyone bullets?” Carol asked. “What if you lose control of the factory? What if there’s a rebellion and another conflict breaks out? What then?”

“Actually…, I was thinking of moving the machinery to Sanctuary,” Anna said. “Eugene has already said it could be done, with the right equipment—which has already been located. As for maintaining control, it’d be easier to do if the factory was at Sanctuary, where we can keep an eye on things. If a conflict were to arise, we’d take care of it, like we’ve always done.”

“How long have you been planning this?” Rick asked.

“A while,” Anna shrugged. “I didn’t say anything sooner because I had hoped we could figure things out with the crops but,” she fibbed, shaking her head. She didn’t want to admit she’d remained silent because of Daryl. “This is the best chance the Sanctuary has of making it.”

“Then maybe Sanctuary shouldn’t make it,” Cyndie said, her face and eyes hard as she glanced at Arat, then stared at Anna.

Anna straightened, narrowing her eyes.

“When Rick ended it with Negan, we all decided to give the Saviors a chance to be better—to do better. And it isn’t just soldiers at Sanctuary. Workers stayed, too,” Anna said looking to each of the others. “They are all living and working together to make something of themselves and of their home—without Negan.”

“You’re askin’ us to rely on the Saviors for bullets. I can’t do that,” Maggie said. “They’ll take advantage.”

“We won’t,” Arat said, leaning forward. “If we withhold bullets, you can easily withhold food. We can’t grow anything. We’d be relying on you just as much, if not more.”

“And why should we believe you? After what you did,” Cyndie sneered.

Arat clammed up and looked to Anna for back up.

“We’ve all done things,” Anna said, calling the attention back to her. “Terrible things for one reason or another. Maybe nothing we do can make up for it, but the least we can do is try.”

“Why is she even here?” Rosita asked, gesturing to Arat impatiently.

“Daryl and I can’t stay at Sanctuary forever,” Anna sighed. “The Saviors need someone leading them. I think Arat can be that person.”

“What?” Cyndie scoffed.

“Arat has stepped up,” Anna said, quickly growing tired of the back and forth. “She’s taken on a lot of responsibility and delivered. The others respect and trust her. I didn’t make my choice lightly. I’ve been thinking about all of this for a long time. I know Arat will honor the deal.”

“Why should we trust her?” Michonne asked.

“If you can’t trust her,” Anna said, looking to Michonne and then to the others, “trust me. We could have just taken the machinery back to Sanctuary and started making bullets without telling any of you. We didn’t. I didn’t.”

Maggie, arms crossed over her chest, shook her head.

“I’m sorry, Anna. I can’t,” she said. “I just can’t.”

“Neither can we,” Cyndie agreed.

Anna looked to Ezekiel and Carol, then to Rick and Michonne.

“What you are proposing. It is a risky endeavor indeed,” Ezekiel began, glancing at Carol. “But we need the munitions. I say yes.”

Anna let out a sigh of relief and turned to Rick.

“Ezekiel is right, we need the bullets,” Rick said, scratching the bridge of his nose. “We aren’t fighting each other anymore, but we are still fighting. The dead are always going to be a problem, and Anna’s right about bullets becomin’ scarce.” He let out a long breath. “I say yes.”

“Daryl?” Cyndie asked. “You don’t trust the Saviors any more than I do. What do you think?”

Anna tensed, waiting for the ‘no’ to leave his mouth. But he said nothing for a long time. Finally, he shook his head.

“I say we do it,” he said. “She’s right. This needs to happen.”

Cyndie huffed and shook her head before standing from her seat and leaving, Beatrice close behind her. Maggie nodded slowly.

“Fine,” she said. “We’ll give it a shot, but Anna,” she gave her a pointed look. “If this doesn’t work out—”

“I know,” Anna said quickly. “I know.”

Maggie, Jesus, and Emma got up and left, Emma shooting an apologetic glance at Anna before she disappeared through the door.

“The Kingdom will send casings to Sanctuary,” Ezekiel assured, leaving with Carol and Jerry in tow.

“You’re sure about this?” Rick asked, looking to her.

“Absolutely,” Anna said.

“Then it’s gonna work,” Rick smiled.

He, Michonne, and Rosita started out. Jessie walked up to Anna and patted her shoulder.

“I’ll come to Sanctuary to help,” Jessie assured. “This was a good idea.”

“Thank you,” Anna said, feeling exponentially better than she had when the meeting began.

“See you soon,” he said, heading off and leaving her alone with Eugene, Daryl, and Arat.

“That went well,” Arat said sarcastically.

“We got what we wanted,” Anna said. “Even if it wasn’t the smoothest.”

Arat nodded, and she and Eugene headed outside to get ready to leave. Anna turned to Daryl.

“What changed your mind?” She asked.

“I didn’t change my mind,” Daryl said. “I still don’t trust ‘em. But I trust you. And if them makin’ it means we get to leave that place, then I’m willin’ to chance it.”

Anna smiled warmly at him.

“Thank you.”

* * *

Jessie arrived at Sanctuary the day after the meeting, ready to get to work on moving the machinery from the bullet factory to Sanctuary. Anna gathered a small group of Saviors to take the tools and vehicles needed to the factory. Daryl would follow with a larger crew the next day. It had taken them a couple of days to prepare an area for all the machinery according to Jessie and Eugene’s specifications, but they were finally ready.

Jessie climbed onto his horse as Anna clipped her pack to the side of her motorcycle, a black, 2008 Harley-Davidson Nightster. She adjusted her stick and rifle on her back as she climbed on. She waited as Arat approached.

“I’ll take care of things while you’re out there,” the woman assured.

“I know you will,” Anna said.

Arat nodded and backed up to allow Daryl to take her place.

“Be careful,” he said.

Anna grinned at him.

“I’ll see you soon,” she assured, leaning over to peck his lips.

She started the bike and waved her hand in the air to indicate they were leaving. Daryl took a step back and she drove out of the gates, leading Jessie and the rest of the first crew to the bullet factory.

* * *

Anna periodically went ahead of the convoy to check for threats before returning to ride alongside her brother.

“This was a good idea,” Jessie said over the low rumble of her engine. “This is going to work out for everyone. The others—they just need to see that.”

“And they will,” Anna agreed. “I understand why Oceanside and Hilltop are withholding their trust, but we have to keep going.”

“What happened to them is going to be a hard thing to just let go,” Jessie said.

“I didn’t say they had to let it go. I’m not asking everyone to be friends,” Anna said. “I just need everyone to work together.”

“Right,” Jessie nodded.

After a moment, Jessie leaned forward on his horse, squinting up ahead.

“What’s that?” He asked.

Anna looked ahead to see a couple of cars parked in the road. Cars that hadn’t been there before. She threw her fist up to get the convoy to stop, and then she parked her bike. She and Jessie climbed off their mounts and surveyed the roadblock.

“These weren’t here before,” Anna said.

“Are you sure?” Jessie asked.

“Yeah. Everyone be alert,” she ordered, pulling her rifle over her head.

Jessie did the same, and the two scanned the area.

“Uh, Anna?” Came a nervous call from Johnny, who was driving the wagon of tools.

Anna swung around to see a man holding a gun to Johnny’s head.

“How about you put the guns down,” the man said.

Anna hesitated a moment before three other men and one woman came out from behind the buildings, rifles aimed. With a heavy sigh, Anna and Jessie lowered their guns and were relieved of their weapons.

“What the hell is this?” Anna asked, as one of the men pressed the barrel of his rifle into her back.

“This was a long time comin,” the man holding Johnny at gunpoint said, and Anna recognized him as Dan.

She narrowed her eyes at him.

“What’s your plan here, Dan?” She asked.

“The plan is to start makin’ things right,” Dan snapped.

“So, you’re gonna kill all of us?” Jessie scoffed.

“Not all of you. Just the Saviors,” Dan corrected.

“And then what?” Anna asked, trying not to roll her eyes.

“Then the Saviors attack, and we finally do what should have been done in the first place,” Dan growled.

“You’re trying to incite another war? Seriously?” Anna guffawed. “You don’t want to do that, Dan. It’d be a massacre.”

“No more than these assholes deserve!” Dan shouted, pushing the gun further into Johnny’s head.

“Not everyone here was a soldier,” Anna said quickly. “Johnny—the man you’re about to shoot—he was a worker. He worked for points under Negan just to get food and medicine for his daughter. She’s ten years old.”

“Her name is Alison,” Johnny said, taking a shuddering breath. “Please. I’m all she has.”

“Vincent,” Anna said, nodding toward a burly man with his hands up as the Hilltop woman held her rifle to his back. “He worked construction. He was one of the men who was held prisoner at Hilltop during the war, and instead of running when the walkers came, he helped close the gates.”

“Tell all the stories you want, Anna. You can’t stop this,” Dan seethed, turning his attention to Johnny. “Even if you’re telling the truth, it doesn’t matter. A Savior is a Savior.”

_BANG!_

“No!” Anna cried, reaching out for Johnny as he slumped over, blood dripping down his face.

Anna swung around, knocking away the rifle at her back and ripping it from the Hilltopper’s hands before slamming the butt of it against his head. She turned back around, aiming the rifle at Dan, her hands shaking and heart pounding in her ears.

“Anna,” Jessie said, and she was vaguely aware of the other Hilltoppers lowering their weapons.

“We didn’t want to kill the workers, Dan!” One of them shouted, though his voice sounded distant.

“Go ahead, Anna. Shoot me,” Dan said, holding his hands and his gun up in surrender. “I’ve got nothing left to lose. The Saviors took everything from me. It was my son they killed when they first came.” A sob hiccupped out of his throat. “My boy.”

“Anna, you don’t want to do this,” Jessie warned, stepping closer to her.

“Get off the wagon,” Anna finally said. “Jessie, take his gun.”

Dan stepped down from the wagon, and Jessie took his gun.

“The rest of you, put your guns on the ground. Now,” she ordered, keeping her rifle trained on Dan.

They did as she said.

“Bind their hands and load them in the wagon,” Anna instructed, finally lowering the rifle. “We’re taking them back to Sanctuary.”

* * *

Anna, Jessie, Vincent, and Arat took Alison to bury her father outside city limits, beneath a tree. When they returned to Sanctuary, Alison isolated herself in the room she and her father stayed in. Vincent promised Anna he’d look out for the girl, citing his close friendship with Johnny.

“What are we going to do about the Hilltoppers?” Arat asked when the man was gone.

“I haven’t decided yet,” Anna said.

“When are you going to decide? There’s already been talk. The others—” Arat said, shaking her head. “They want blood.”

“Try and keep everyone calm,” Anna instructed. “I’ll deal with the prisoners.”

Without another word, Anna made her way upstairs and to her and Daryl’s room. She washed the dirt and sweat from her skin and changed into a clean shirt before sitting down in the armchair. Daryl walked in then.

“You need to release those Hilltoppers,” he said immediately.

“Why?” Anna asked, her face impassive.

“You’re gonna start a war if you don’t,” he warned.

“The Saviors will riot if I just let them go,” Anna pointed out.

“If you keep ‘em here, the Saviors will kill ‘em,” Daryl argued.

“They’re under guard,” Anna shrugged.

“By Saviors.”

“By people I trust,” Anna corrected. “The Hilltoppers will be safe until I decide what to do with them.”

“Why is that your decision? They belong to Hilltop. Leave it to Maggie,” Daryl said.

“No,” Anna said simply. “They killed one of ours.”

“One of ours?” Daryl asked, almost offended. “They ain’t us, and we ain’t them.”

"We aren’t having this discussion again,” Anna said firmly, clasping her hands in front of her as she looked up at him.

“So, that’s it?” Daryl asked. “After everything, you’re gonna kill ‘em for wanting to make things right?”

“I didn’t say anything about killing anyone,” Anna said. “And make things right?” Anna stood from the chair, her body shaking. “Johnny was a worker. His daughter, Alison, is going to grow up with no one now. Tell me how that’s right.”

“Maybe he didn’t know,” Daryl said after a moment.

“I told him. And it didn’t matter,” Anna shook her head. “I’m not going to kill them. But there needs to be justice.”

With that, she brushed past him and left the room, headed for her office. Instead, she found herself standing in front of the holding area. A guard stood at the each of the four doors along the hall. She went to the room at the end of the hall, where D.J. stood stoically in front of the door.

“Has anyone tried to get to him?” She asked.

“A few. I got them to leave,” he said.

“Thank you for doing this—all of you,” she said, turning to the others. “I know this is hard for you. Johnny was a good man, and he didn’t deserve what happened to him.”

“Only, one of these assholes pulled the trigger,” Tyreek said.

Anna nodded as she turned back to D.J. He stepped aside and she unlocked the door, stepping inside the room—if it could be called that. It was more of a storage closet with a lantern set in one corner, a bucket in another, and a cot pushed up against the wall. Dan sat on the cot with his head bowed.

She shut the door, leaving them alone together in the cramped cell. He didn’t look up, but he let out a long sigh.

“Took you long enough,” Dan said, running his hand down his face.

He got down to his knees on the floor, his back to Anna as if he were saying his nightly prayers over his bed.

“Get up,” Anna sneered. “I’m not here to kill you.”

Dan looked over his shoulder at her, frowning. He had clearly been crying.

“Why?” He asked. “I—I killed one of your men,” he stuttered, getting to his feet and turning to face her. “You have to kill me.”

“And start the war you wanted?” Anna scoffed. “I’m not an idiot. Or a coward,” she said pointedly. “I’m going to ask you a question, and you’re going to tell me the truth.”

“What?”

“Did Maggie send you?”


	4. Chapter Three

Emma carried the basket of clean clothes back toward the house. She wiped the sweat from her brow as she walked up the front steps. The days were getting warmer as Spring rolled in. She held the basket to her hip, freeing up her hand to open the door when Kal cried out.

“Rider!”

She turned to see the gates swinging open as Dean galloped through, riding straight for the house. He pulled back on the reins, his horse bucking as it stopped before finally settling down. Dean jumped from the horse, both out of breath.

“I need to talk to Maggie. It’s urgent,” he said, skipping the niceties.

“What’s going on?” Emma asked, furrowing her brow as Ken came to take his horse to the stables.

“We shouldn’t talk about it out here,” Dean said, trying to catch his breath. “I need to talk to Maggie.”

Emma nodded and led Dean inside and to Maggie’s office, where she sat at the desk with Jesus and Dianne standing in front of her. The smile previously on Maggie’s face fell away at the sight of Dean.

“What is it this time?” Maggie asked impatiently.

Dean looked around the room uneasily before he spoke.

“I have—news, from Sanctuary,” he said, seeming to select his words carefully.

His face was grim, and as Maggie urged him to go on, his gaze dropped to the floor.

“Anna was takin’ a crew to the bullet factory,” Dean started. “They were attacked on the road by a group of your people led by Dan. He killed Joh—he killed one of ours.”

The room was utterly silent for what felt like a very long time. Emma stared at the glass paperweight on Maggie’s desk. Emma had met Johnny. And his daughter.

“And Dan and the others who went with him?” Maggie asked.

“Anna arrested them and is holding them at Sanctuary.”

“At least now I know where they went,” Maggie sighed, sitting back in her seat. “Emma, Jesus. You two bring ‘em back.”

Emma shifted on her feet. She was always glad to see Anna. This time, though, she may be balancing on a tightrope; the notion made her stomach turn sour.

“Anna will wanna know that you’re going to hold ‘em accountable,” Dean said.

“I will. In the way I see fit,” Maggie said before she looked to Emma and then Jesus. “Bring them back.”

* * *

Emma, setting her laundry down in the foyer, followed Dean outside and to the stables where he checked on his horse. The mare was eating calmly, but was still breathing heavily. He took a rag from a bucket of water and began to wipe her down.

“That’s a good girl,” he said soothingly. “You did good.”

“Dean,” Emma started hesitantly. “I’m so sorry about what happened.”

“Johnny was my friend. He had only ever been a worker at the Sanctuary. He had a ten-year-old daughter. But it didn’t matter to that—” he cut himself off with a heavy sigh and shook his head. “Will Maggie hold him accountable?” He asked, pausing in wiping down his mare and looking to her imploringly. “Please, tell me that Alison will get some kind of justice for what that son of a bitch did to her father.”

“She’ll deal with it,” Emma assured, though she wasn’t so certain it would be in a way the Saviors would be satisfied with.

“Yeah, as she sees fit…,” Dean muttered, turning back to his horse. “She needs rest before I can go anywhere.”

“You both do,” Emma said. “Jesus and I will get things together for the trip back.”

She turned to walk away and Dean quickly took her hand, pulling her to a stop.

“Thank you,” he said, holding her hand loosely in his before he let her go.

Flustered and unable to come up with a response, Emma gave a nod and hurried back to the house, her mind and heart racing.

* * *

* * *

Anna sat at her desk, writing out everything that had happened in the past few days. She wanted to keep track of everything from the incident on the road to each interrogation of the prisoners. She didn’t hurt or threaten any of them; she simply asked them questions. For the most part, they’d been forthcoming with answers. But Dan had made it like pulling teeth—he hadn’t gotten what he wanted yet. They all said the same thing, though. Maggie didn’t send them.

Leaning back in her chair, Anna wiped the sweat from her brow. It was getting warmer, and soon they would need to use the generators just to keep from boiling to death.

_If we aren’t murdered first,_ she thought bitterly.

She tossed her pencil to the desk and ran her hands down her face. Anna had stayed up most of the night trying to decide what to do with the prisoners. Early morning, she finally sent out Dean to inform Maggie of the situation. It wasn’t like Anna wanted to put them all to death—not even Dan. She wanted justice. The Saviors wanted justice.

And at least some of them wanted Negan. She’d seen another spot of graffiti on the wall on the factory floor.

There was a knock at the door, and Anna sighed.

“Come in,” she called, and Arat walked in, Jessie following close behind her.

“Have you decided what you’re going to do with the prisoners?” Arat asked. “The others, they’re getting impatient. D.J. said he had to turn away seven people already. And they aren’t happy Dean was sent to Hilltop.”

“He’ll be fine,” Anna assured. “I wouldn’t have sent him if I thought he was in danger.”

Arat nodded.

“What are you going to do with them?” Jessie asked. “Maggie’s got to be sending someone to get them, but what then?”

Anna tapped her fingers against the desk, pursing her lips.

“There has to be justice, but we can’t risk another war,” Anna said. “The Saviors have no guns—or bullets—it’d be a massacre. Until we get things figured out, we’ll be postponing the bullet factory.”

“If a war does happen, we’ll need the factory more than ever. We need to be ready,” Arat argued.

“No,” Anna snapped.

She pushed herself from her chair and moved to stand in front of Arat, placing her hands on the woman’s shoulders.

“We are not going to war with Hilltop,” she said. “After everything we’ve fought for, after finding peace with each other—however precarious. We have to do everything we can to keep it. It is a foolish leader who rushes into battle.”

“That from Sun Tzu?” Jessie asked, barely able to hide a smirk.

“Kind of—I just made it up,” Anna said. “But it’s true. We can’t sever our ties with Hilltop prematurely. We will have justice for Johnny, and we will have peace. We just have to figure out how.”

Arat nodded, furrowing her brow.

“Then let’s figure out how,” she said.

* * *

It was roughly noon by the time Dean returned from Hilltop, leading Emma and Jesus, who drove their empty supply wagon into the courtyard. Anna met them as they climbed out of their wagon.

“I’m glad to see you both—I just wish it was under better circumstances,” Anna said.

“Yeah. This is a real mess,” Jesus agreed.

“I’m so sorry about what happened,” Emma said.

“You have to know that Maggie didn’t send them,” Jesus said.

“I know,” Anna said. “But it doesn’t change much.”

“We’ll take them back. She’ll deal with them,” Emma assured.

“How?” Anna asked.

Emma and Jesus looked to each other before Jesus sighed.

“However she sees fit,” he said, looking back to Anna.

“That’s not enough,” Arat said. “The Saviors won’t trust Maggie to punish them appropriately.”

“I just don’t know why Dan would do this,” Jesus said, shaking his head.

“He wanted to start another war. Finish what was started,” Anna explained. “His plan was to goad the Saviors into retaliating against Hilltop.”

“Then he underestimated your control of the Saviors,” Jesus said.

“It’s taken a hell of a lot just to keep them from killing Dan and the others,” Anna said, shaking her head. “What we do with them will make or break the peace we have with the Saviors.”

“So, in other words,” Emma started, “if Maggie doesn’t handle Dan and the others correctly, we’re looking at another war.”

“Yeah,” Anna huffed. “We can’t let that happen.”

“We won’t,” Jesus insisted. “So, let’s get them back to Hilltop where they’ll be safe, and we can deal with them.”

Anna hesitated a moment, but she nodded and led them inside. Any noise that may have been happening inside stopped as the four made their way through the factory floor. The Saviors openly stared at Emma and Jesus, most with anger and suspicion.

The door to the stairwell opened, and D.J. came out with the other guards leading the prisoners, their hands still bound.

“Are the restraints really necessary?” Jesus asked.

“Until they’re out of Sanctuary limits, yes,” Anna said firmly.

“You’re actually going to let these assholes go?” Vincent asked, stepping out of the crowd. “What about justice for Johnny? His daughter? Or does that not matter?”

“They will face consequences, okay? I’ll make sure of it,” Jesus said.

“And why the hell should we believe you?” Someone else asked.

“We should deal with them ourselves!”

“Yeah!”

“Justice!”

Amidst the calls, some of the Saviors advanced on the prisoners. Arat and the guards looked uneasily around, unsure of what to do. Anna couldn’t expect them to turn on their own people to protect would-be and have-been murderers.

“Enough!” Anna shouted, walking into the path of the Saviors and staring them down. “You want justice. So do I, but this is not how we do it. Not anymore. We start killing each other, where does it end? We do it the right way, the fair way. We end this senseless cycle of violence. Don’t be what some of them think you are. Prove them wrong. Let me help you prove them wrong,” she implored. “I will personally take them to Hilltop and ensure that they face the consequences of their actions and that the punishment fits the crime.”

Murmurs spread across the crowd and the advancing Saviors took a step back. Vincent approached; his face unreadable. Finally, he held out his hand. Anna took it and held it for a moment with a firm shake.

“You get justice for Johnny, Anna,” he said.

“I will,” she assured.

He nodded and called for the Saviors to get back to work. Seeing movement in her peripheral, Anna looked up at the second level catwalk to see Daryl lowering his crossbow, no doubt having been aiming it at Vincent.

* * *

“You can’t ask me to lock them up for that long,” Maggie snapped from her seat behind her desk. “Fifteen years for Dan? A year for the others? That’s too much.”

“He murdered someone, Maggie,” Anna argued, leaning forward in her chair. “They were trying to incite a war.”

“I can’t afford to take five of my people out of work for that long,” Maggie said. “But I recognize the severity of what they did. Five years for Dan. Five months for the others.”

“They need more than just a slap on the wrist,” Anna scoffed.

“They’re from Hilltop. I will decide what happens to them,” Maggie said firmly.

“Dan didn’t kill a Hilltopper. This isn’t your decision to make alone,” Anna said. “Fifteen and a year.”

“Seven years and seven months,” Maggie countered.

“Johnny was a worker with a ten-year-old daughter. Dan knew that, and he didn’t give a shit. Ten and seven,” Anna offered. “No less.”

“Anna—”

“No less.”

Maggie clenched her jaw, frowning at Anna, but ultimately nodded.

“Fine. Ten years for Dan, seven months for the other four,” Maggie said. “Happy?”

“No,” Anna said irritably, getting up from her chair and heading out the door. “But it’s a start.”

* * *

Anna and Emma stood beside each other as Kal and Eduardo led Dan and the other AWOL Hilltoppers into the cellar, where Maggie had cells built. It was night now, and the Hilltop residents were making their way to their homes.

Maggie had announced the fate of Dan and the other four to the rest of the community, and not everyone was happy about it. Everyone, however, was glad that there would be no execution.

“I know things are pretty tense right now, but I think you should wait for morning to leave,” Emma said.

“Yeah,” Anna agreed.

“You made the right call, Anna,” Emma said. “What happened set a precedent for how we handle things in the future. The Saviors got their justice, and hopefully more people will see that peace is the only way we can move forward.”

“Everything we fought for—everything we’re still fighting for—almost fell apart. Killing Dan would have made it all for nothing,” Anna said as Kal and Eduardo exited the cellar, shutting and locking the doors.

“But it didn’t. Because of you,” Emma insisted.

Anna shook her head.

“It still could,” she said. “We just have to hope no one else decides to follow Dan’s lead.”

“Well, after seeing that there will be consequences for crimes against the Saviors, I think anyone would at least think twice before trying anything,” Emma said.

“I guess we’ll see,” Anna said.

Knowing that Dan and the others were secured, Anna and Emma headed inside and to their rooms for the night. Anna closed the door to the room where she and Daryl usually slept when staying at Hilltop and set her spear against the wall. She kicked off her boots and pulled the covers back, exhausted from the lack of sleep she’d gotten in the past two days, and fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

* * *

The next day, after preparing to leave, Anna stood in front of Glenn’s grave, quietly telling him about everything that had happened since the last time she’d visited. She found it comforting to talk to him, even when she wasn’t in Hilltop. It helped her feel more confident in the decisions she made, working them out as if he were standing next to her.

“It’s hard without him.”

Anna turned to see Maggie standing a few feet away, baby Hershel on her hip.

“I often wonder how things would have been if he were still alive,” she went on, coming to stand beside her.

“Me, too,” Anna said, wiping a bit of drool from Hershel’s chin.

He gazed up at her with his dark eyes.

“Do you want to hold him?” Maggie asked.

“Of course,” Anna said.

Maggie passed her Hershel and she balanced him on her hip, brushing his black hair away from his forehead and kissing his cheek. Hershel cooed at her, tangling his fingers in her hair.

“I’m glad he remembers you,” Maggie said.

They were quiet for a long moment, Anna swaying side to side as Maggie watched.

“Glenn would have hated all of us being apart like this,” Maggie finally spoke. “He would have wanted us all together.”

“He would have,” Anna agreed. “But he would have understood why we can’t be. Not right now.”

“You think we’ll ever be together again?” Maggie asked.

Anna swallowed nervously. She and Daryl hadn’t told anyone except Carol, Emma, Morgan, and Jessie about the house in the woods and their plans for when they were done at Sanctuary. She knew they would have to tell the others eventually, but sometimes she thought of slipping away in the middle of the night with Daryl and disappearing forever.

Shaking her head, Anna passed Hershel back to Maggie.

“The world is a lot bigger now. I don’t think anything can go back to the way it was,” she said. “We’ve got responsibilities that keep us apart.”

“But you and Daryl won’t be at Sanctuary forever,” Maggie reminded. “The two of you will always have a home here.”

“Thank you, Maggie. That means a lot,” Anna said.

“I’ve got to get back to work. Don’t wait so long to visit next time.”

“Hopefully, next time it won’t be because of a conflict either,” Anna said, half-joking.

Maggie gave a dry laugh before making Hershel wave to Anna.

“Say bye to Aunty Anna,” Maggie said, walking and disappearing around the corner.

Anna looked back at Glenn’s grave.

“See you later, Rhee,” Anna said before walking away.

* * *

Anna climbed onto her motorcycle, adjusting her spear on her back as Emma and Jesus stood by.

“Don’t be a stranger. You should try to come by more often,” Jesus said.

“It’s going to be harder to get away once we start moving the machinery, but I’ll try to make it out here more,” Anna assured.

“Let us know if you need any help with setting up.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Anna smiled as she started the bike.

“Be safe,” Emma said over the engine.

“You too,” Anna said.

With that, she started out of the gate, racing past the fields of crops as the wind whipped her hair back. She only hoped the Saviors would accept the justice she’d managed to get.

* * *

For the most part, the Saviors seemed happy with the sentencing of Dan and the other AWOL Hilltoppers. In the following days, the machinery from the bullet factory was relocated and installed at Sanctuary. Shipments of casings arrived from the other communities and production began.

With Jessie at Sanctuary overseeing the production of bullets with the help of Rosita, Eugene focused on making the corn fuel. Arat continued to shadow Anna, and Daryl continued to keep the more volatile Saviors, like Justin and Jed, in line.

Eventually, Anna sent the first shipment of bullets to Hilltop. Kal and Eduardo, used to panicking when they saw a Savior pull up in a moving truck, hesitated to open the gates. But at Maggie’s approval, they allowed Dean to drive into the yard and deliver the bullets. Maggie insisted he stay the night, so he and Emma sat together into the early morning hours talking and laughing on the balcony.

Anna and Daryl went to sleep that night, holding each other’s hand. For the first time since coming to Sanctuary, Anna was hopeful for what the Saviors would do.


	5. Chapter Four

Daryl flipped through the pages of the How-To book on motorcycles, the sound of work filling the shop. They were working to convert the fuel lines to accept the high percentage of ethanol they were making from the corn.

While it was a smart idea to lean harder on the corn fuel, they still had to make sure their vehicles wouldn’t suffer in the process. It was also smart to start producing bullets, though Daryl was still unsure of the Saviors doing it. But they had the space, the know-how, and the people.

A sense of pride filled Daryl as he thought of the progress Anna had made with leading the Saviors. And a bit of guilt. In the beginning, it was expected that Daryl would take the lead on the Saviors, but he’d been reluctant at best, downright hostile at worst. But Anna stepped up and took charge, delegating Daryl to focus his energy on keeping the assholes in line and overseeing the vehicle maintenance.

“Daryl,” Laura called, walking up.

“What is it?”

“Arat and Justin are hanging up a walker in the crops,” Laura explained, seeming more than a little frustrated.

“What are you tellin’ me for? Where’s Anna? She know about this?” Daryl huffed.

“No. Anna’s in a production meeting with Jessie and Eugene,” she said.

Daryl cursed under his breath and set his book down. Anna didn’t like being interrupted during meetings.

“I’ll handle it,” he grumbled, snatching up his crossbow and stalking out of the shop.

It didn’t take long to find Justin and Arat stringing up a walker, the creature snapping its jaws at them.

“Hey!” Daryl called. “What the hell are you doin’?” He demanded as they paused and turned to him.

“Scaring the birds away,” Arat said. “I thought, because they’re eating the corn—”

Daryl cut her off by firing an arrow into the walker’s head.

“Take it down,” he ordered, and then he walked away.

* * *

* * *

Anna sat at the head of the table, turning her bracelet around her wrist as Eugene spoke at length about the current rate of production and how they could continue it, if not enhance it altogether. He and Rosita were due to leave for Oceanside soon, to help them set things in motion for their own community. But that meant a lot of work before they left. Thankfully, Jessie intended to stay at Sanctuary for the foreseeable future.

Future. That was on Anna’s mind a lot lately. She was sure Sanctuary would be ready to transition into Arat’s control soon, but Arat needed to be ready to take charge first. Anna had heard whispers though, and some downright requests that she and Daryl stay on at Sanctuary. Mostly from those who had been workers under Negan’s rule.

She hated to admit it, but she was tempted. It felt good to have people listen to her, to have a seat at the table of leaders. She’d gotten a taste of it during her time leading their forces against Negan, but this was different.

Anna thought about what Anderson had said, so long ago, back at the quarry when the group was debating on what to do with Jim after his bite had been revealed.

_“We haven’t been around long enough for our opinion to matter. It isn’t our place to make those kinds of decisions for them.”_

It was shocking to think of how much things had changed since then. How much she had changed. And it all started when Evan Magnus asked her if she didn’t like flying. She wondered if those two would be proud of what she’d become.

The door swung open and Daryl walked in, crossbow at his side.

“Daryl?” Anna asked, curious despite her mild irritation at the meeting being interrupted. “What’s going on?”

“Arat thought it’d be a good idea to string up a scarecrow for the crops,” he said shortly.

“That is a pretty good idea,” Anna mused, wondering why they hadn’t thought of it sooner.

“Yeah, ‘cept she was usin’ a walker,” Daryl snapped.

Anna was quiet for a moment. Her first thought was that using a walker was an even better idea. But then the more civilized part of her brain reminded her that walkers were once people, too.

“Thanks for filling me in,” she said, turning to Jessie and Eugene. “I’ll see what we can do about upping production.”

Seeming to get the hint, Jessie and Eugene nodded and headed out of the conference room without a word.

“I take it you already handled the situation?” Anna asked.

Daryl didn’t reply.

“I’ll talk to Arat,” Anna assured, and Daryl scoffed. “Her heart was in the right place, just misguided. I’ll talk to her.”

She got to her feet and stood in front of him, placing her hands on his shoulders. He leaned toward her, pressing his forehead to hers, and sighed. She closed her eyes for a moment, feeling him relax against her.

When they pulled apart, Daryl brushed her hair behind her ear and kissed her lightly on the lips.

“In the meantime,” Anna said, smiling warmly at him. “We need to make a run into the city.”

“What for?” Daryl asked as she turned to the table to start gathering the pages of reports they kept on inventory and production.

“There’s this museum I’ve been wanting to visit. I think it’s called the Smithsonian?” Anna said teasingly. “They’ve got to have all sorts of goodies there for us to take—and now it won’t be a federal offense.”

“What gave you that idea?” He asked.

Anna reached for the leather notebook she’d taken from that little house in the woods and pulled a brochure from its pages, handing it to him.

“I found this on our last run,” she said.

He opened it. Inside were a list of exhibits the museum offered, including natural history and Native American exhibits. She figured they could get all sorts of information and preserved tools from there.

“Just like Georgie had in mind,” Anna said. “Getting our future from our past.”

* * *

Arat sat in the chair across from Anna, her leg bouncing nervously. They were in her office, and nothing had been said for a few minutes.

“You’re not in trouble, Arat. Calm down,” Anna said.

Arat’s knee stopped bouncing, but the worried expression didn’t leave her face.

“Look, I get what you were trying to do—it was a good idea, I’ll admit,” Anna said. “But we don’t use walkers like that.”

“Why?” Arat asked, momentarily forgetting her nerves before sinking back in her chair. “I mean… I just—”

Anna got up from her chair and moved to stand in front of the window. She watched as the Saviors moved between and tended to the crops. Her eyes lingered on the horizon; a bird flew across her view. It was a long, quiet moment.

“When you die… what do you want to happen to your body?” She asked.

“What?” Arat asked, more than a little confused. “I—uh—hadn’t really thought about it. Used to be that we’d burn our dead.”

“We buried Johnny because Vincent said that’s what he wanted,” Anna explained. “So Alison could visit him.”

“I guess… I guess I’d like to be buried, but…,” Arat paused. “I’ve got no one to visit me when I’m gone.”

“I’d visit you,” Anna said, still gazing out the window.

“Thanks, but… I don’t see why we’re talking about this,” Arat said.

“Do you think the man that walker used to be would have wanted to be buried?” Anna asked.

Arat said nothing.

“I don’t think he would have wanted his corpse to be tied to some wood and posted up like a scarecrow,” Anna sighed. “A friend of mine once said we bury the ones we love and burn the rest. I always wondered about that. Someone had to have loved ‘the rest’ at some point, right?”

“Are you saying we should bury walkers now?” Arat asked.

“No, but…,” Anna took a breath, “maybe we should consider having a little more respect for the dead than stringing them up.”

“I get it,” Arat said after a pause.

Anna turned to face her finally.

“Good,” Anna grinned. “Don’t let something like that happen again. It’s a slippery slope.”

Arat nodded and got up, heading for the door.

“One more thing,” Anna called before she could leave. “Daryl and I are making a run into the city tomorrow. I’m leaving you in charge. Jessie and Rosita will be here to help you.”

Arat swallowed and nodded, opening the door and starting out before she paused and looked back.

“What do you want to happen to your body when you die?” she asked.

Anna thought for a second, and a soft smile spread across her face.

“I want to be buried beneath a tree. Somewhere peaceful,” she said.

Arat gave an understanding nod and disappeared down the hall.

Anna turned back to the window, watching the black birds perched on the fence. Her mind wandered until it settled on thoughts of Isaac. She grimaced at the memory of him. After the battle, after she had killed him, the Saviors gathered their dead. It was on the third day after she and Daryl had arrived at Sanctuary that she found out what had happened to his body. Like Arat had said, they burned their dead. It was easier now, knowing that he was gone and that there was nothing left of him. He was nothing more than ashes in the dirt, and a memory that haunted her less and less every day.

With a sigh, Anna turned away from the window and sat down at her desk to go over their production reports and plan their trip into the city.

* * *

Anna and Daryl rode side by side, their motorcycles roaring down the road. Up ahead, she could see Jerry riding his horse across the bridge, heading for Sanctuary. They slowed as they came upon him.

“You’re good to the rally point,” he said. “See you on the flip.”

They each gave a nod to him as they continued on, navigating around the broken part of the bridge. Anna glanced at it. They’d need to do something about that sooner or later.

It didn’t take them long to reach the rally point where they met the others. With their large group, they headed into the city, Rick and Michonne scouting ahead and taking out any threats. Maggie, Enid, Siddiq, and Cyndie rode in their wagon pulled by two horses with Emma, Jesus, Alden, and two boys from Hilltop—Ken and Marco—riding alongside them. Carol, Ezekiel, Gabriel, and Anne—formerly known as Jadis—rode to the back of the group. Anna and Daryl sped along on their bikes.

Once at the steps of the museum, Jesus, Aaron, Alden, Ken, and Marco were left with the horses. The others got into formation in front of the double doors. Rick knocked on the door, and he and Anna pulled them open just enough for a single walker’s head to pop out, snarling at them. Michonne took it out with her sword and no other walkers appeared.

“We’re good for now,” Michonne said, peering through the doors. “Sweep protocol when we get in.”

Rick and Anna pulled the doors open the rest of the way, allowing everyone to filter inside. They swept the first room, finding one walker behind the front desk. Rick took it out with his hatchet and passed out brochures for the exhibits.

Walking further into the museum, they came upon a circular room with three wings. Natural History, Gallery of Fine Art, and American History. Anna looked around the room, taking in the tents and sleeping bags scattered here and there. Someone had thought to make this their home. But the walkers and blood showed that hadn’t worked out.

“Y’all got your lists. Circle back here when you’re done,” Rick said. “Be safe.”

They split up, Rick, Gabriel, Siddiq, Enid, and Anne heading to the Natural History wing for the heirloom seeds Anne knew about, while Anna and the rest went to the American History exhibit for the equipment.

They made it to the foyer without trouble, and Anna paused beside Maggie as the others continued to sweep the room. The two looked up at the banners dangling from the ceilings that named the different sections of the exhibit.

“This is gonna work,” Maggie said, glancing at Anna.

“It is,” Anna concurred with a smile.

Anna took a step forward, but the sound her boot made was slightly different than what she was used to hearing. She stopped and looked down. The floor leading up to the marble staircase was entirely glass, showing through to the level below—which was filled with walkers.

Sure-footed, Maggie walked past Anna to the stairs. Anna took a breath and shrugged, starting after her. As they made their way up the stairs, there was a growl and a rumble.

“Heads up,” Cyndie called, and they turned as a walker tumbled over the edge of the upper level bannisters and plummeted to the glass floor.

It landed with a hard thud, rubble around it and a spear stuck through its chest. It growled at them before Daryl shot a bolt through its head. They looked to the glass, wondering if the impact had caused any damage.

“Onward,” Ezekiel said. “We’ll figure it out.”

They climbed the rest of the way up the stairs, splitting off to sweep and find what they needed. Anna and Emma walked together, just a few feet behind Carol, Maggie, and Michonne.

“So, Dean’s been asking about you,” Anna teased lightly.

“Oh?” Emma asked, her face impassive, though Anna could see the pink in her cheeks.

“He was wondering if you were going to come by Sanctuary again before the next delivery,” Anna went on. “He likes you.”

“What makes you think he likes me?” Emma asked, tensing up.

“Because he told me,” Anna laughed as Emma sputtered. “He doesn’t believe in beating around the bush. And he’s a good guy.”

Emma cleared her throat and shook her head but said nothing. Anna rolled her eyes, continuing to grin as Emma caught up with Carol and Maggie, Michonne lingering in front of a poster. Anna paused beside her.

_A more perfect Union._ _The conflicts that shaped our nation._

There were paragraphs of history from The First Colonies to the Civil War. The background of the poster was of the Declaration of Independence.

“Here we go,” Maggie called, pulling Anna and Michonne’s attention away from the poster.

They moved to stand with the other three women, surveying the plows and wagon on display.

“Our blacksmith can use these as a model to make more,” Maggie said. “And we can send one to the Sanctuary so you can expand the garden.”

Anna and Maggie smiled at each other, understanding that this was an attempt to smooth things over between Hilltop and the Sanctuary.

“I’m glad you won your election,” Michonne said.

“I’m glad I grew up on a farm,” Maggie countered.

They worked together to start moving the plows toward the stairs. By the time they had gotten them there, Daryl and Cyndie were carrying a canoe from the Native American section, with Ezekiel behind them. Rick and the others were just entering the foyer.

“Need some help?” Rick asked, starting up the stairs.

“There’s a wagon. We’ll need more hands to move it,” Anna said as she and Emma set their plow down and started back.

The group gathered around the wagon and began to move it carefully off its display, using ropes to maneuver it down the initial set of stairs. It took considerably more effort to get it to the top of the main stairs, but they knew the hardest part was yet to come. Anna looked down at the glass floor at the bottom and grimaced.

“We’ll move quickly,” Rick assured her when he saw the look on her face.

They started with the wagon, using ropes in front, behind, and wrapped around pillars to work it down the steps.

“Easy,” Rick said. “Last step.”

The wagon thudded against the glass, the wheels grinding and squealing as they turned. They paused at Rick’s command, waiting for the glass to break.

“So far, so good,” Rick said when it didn’t.

He moved carefully to the front of the wagon and began to turn it.

“Let’s go,” he said.

There were calls to “hold” and “watch your fingers” and to move slowly as they made steady progress and all four wheels were on the creaking glass. As they rolled it off the glass, Anna spotted the cracks. They were almost out of time.

With Maggie, Anna lifted one of the plows and began to walk it down the steps. Anna sighed with relief when the glass didn’t break as they walked over it. They set it down as Rick and Daryl moved the canoe.

“No sudden moves. Just keep goin’ nice and slow,” Rick instructed.

Everyone was silent, too focused, and somehow afraid that any noise would break the glass. Ezekiel and Carol, with ropes around their waists, picked up the second plow. Anna stared at the glass, willing it not to break as they crossed. Yet, the creaking grew, and the glass rapidly spider-webbed toward them.

“You got to go!” Anna shouted.

“Save the plow!” Ezekiel called, throwing the plow as the glass broke beneath him.

Ezekiel dropped through the floor, the rope he dangled from the only thing saving him from the walkers below.

“Ezekiel!” Carol cried. “Ezekiel! Hold on!”  
Carol threw one of the abandoned sleeping bags over the edge of the glass as the others grabbed for the rope, anchoring him before they began to pull. Daryl leaned in, firing a bolt into a walker about to take a bite out of Ezekiel’s leg.

The rope strained in Anna’s hands, biting at her skin.

_Please, hold,_ she begged the rope as Ezekiel grabbed for the glass.

Once he was able to get enough leverage, Carol and Daryl practically dragged him out of the pit and the others gave one last hard tug on the rope until he was safe. Ezekiel and Carol quickly moved off the glass, Ezekiel leaning against one of the pillars for support as Anna dropped the rope.

Carol checked over him before hugging him in relief. After a moment, she pulled away and kissed him.

Anna looked down at her hands to see angry red marks running across her palms and fingers. Shaking them out, she pressed her hands into her jeans, ignoring the sting of the rope burn.

* * *

After getting everything onto the street, Ken and Marco hitched their horses to the wagon. They loaded up the canoe and plows into the wagon, along with the few extra things that had been found. Without ceremony, the group started out of the city.

It didn’t take them long to get out of the city with Anna and Daryl riding ahead to check for and take out threats. While their bikes were louder than a horse, they were easier to maneuver, and they didn’t get scared. Daryl took out a walker with the small javelin he kept on his bike, throwing it right through the walker’s face. He circled back around to grab the javelin when the sound of an engine roaring down the road reached their ears.

They peered toward the bridge, where they saw Rosita coming over the hill on a four-wheeler. She skidded to a halt in front of them and removed her helmet.

“Trouble at the bridge,” she said. “Where are the others?”

* * *

They stood at the bridge, staring at the destruction. A deep frown was set on Anna’s face. The thing that linked them all together, gone.

“Two other herds merged into “Silvia,” so now it’s even bigger,” Rosita explained. “One of them came through here, and the backend took down the bridge. Took the walkie repeater with it.”

“What about Route A?” Daryl asked. “Is that clear yet?”

“Still too close to the herd,” Rosita said, shaking her head.

“We can get to Alexandria from this side, stay there till it passes,” Michonne offered.

“No,” Maggie said quickly. “Route A has taken days to clear before. I need to get home to Hershel.”

“What about Route D?” Anna asked.

“It’s early enough in the day,” Carol agreed.

“Keep an eye on the trade road in case anyone else tries to move through,” Rick said, turning and walking with Rosita. “Gabriel, y’all can head back to Alexandria from here. The rest of us—we can go to Sanctuary or Hilltop, stay the night, and head off from there.”

Rosita pulled a can of spray-paint from her pack on the back of the four-wheeler and went to the county sign, writing _Bridge Out_ over the original words.

“Take care, and get home safe,” Rick instructed.

They returned to the wagons and horses and turned themselves around. After some talk, it was decided that Carol, Ezekiel, Michonne, and Rick would return to Sanctuary with Anna and Daryl while Gabriel, Tara, Aaron, and Anne would head for Alexandria; the others would go back to Hilltop with Maggie.

Daryl and Anna continued their routine of circling ahead of the group, this time more vigilant for the herds. It was roughly an hour by the time they ran into any issues. After scouting ahead, Anna and Daryl returned to the group to find the wagon from the museum stuck in the mud.

Ken, the blacksmith's son and resident horse whisperer, was certain the horses needed a break regardless.

“Maybe we should leave the supplies. Send a group back in a day or two,” Maggie suggested.

“It’s risky,” Michonne argued. “We’ve seen herds come through and destroy bigger things than this.”

“We can swap out the horses, split up, take ‘em out in the clearing, give ‘em a rest while we see what we can do about the trailers,” Rick said.

Ken and Marco took the horses off the wagon while the rest of them removed the equipment and broke out the rope. It took considerable effort just to move it an inch.

“Rick,” Michonne called, and they all looked to see walkers filtering out of the trees.

“We’re almost there,” Ezekiel assured from the back of the wagon.

“One more time,” Rick said. “One, two, three,” and with their collective effort and a cry from Ezekiel, they tore the wagon from the mud, rolling it onto solid ground.

“Good. Let’s get out of here,” Rick said.

“Ken, Marco—hitch up the horses, we’re leaving,” Anna called.

“Daryl, Anna, Michonne,” Rick said as he and Ezekiel began to load up the first plow.

“On it,” Michonne said, pulling her katana as Daryl unsheathed his knives and Anna took out her spear.

With a bit of an unnecessary flourish, Anna took out a couple of walkers, smacking one with the blunt end and stabbing the other with the spearhead before bringing it back around to the first. She felt a little guilty at the pleasure she derived from the fight, but it had been so long since she’d been able to utilize her skills.

The three continued to take out the walkers, but more and more were coming. Behind her, she heard the horses whinnying in fear, and then a metal clang. She glanced briefly behind her to see that the second plow had fallen to the ground.

“We gotta go. Leave the wagon,” Rick ordered.

Daryl, Anna, and Michonne retreated, joining the others as they made a run for it.

“No, I gotta free her!” Ken said, pulling his machete and running back to the wagon where one of the horses was still hitched.

“Ken, wait!” Rick called as Ken slashed at the hitch.

A walker came around then and grabbed his arm. Anna rushed forward, but it was too late; he cried out, the walker biting into his forearm. In a panic, the horse leaned forward and bucked its hind legs, striking Ken directly in the diaphragm.

Anna tore the walker away from Ken and stabbed it through the face before dropping it to the ground. She turned back to see Siddiq and Enid at his side with Rick, Marco, and Maggie.

“They’re gonna fix it,” Marco said, however unsure. “You’re gonna be alright.”

“I’m not gonna make it,” Ken said.

“You’ll be okay,” Rick assured.

Anna watched as Siddiq applied a tourniquet.

“We’ll keep the walkers away,” Rick said, gesturing for help.

Anna, Daryl, Michonne, Ezekiel, Carol, Rick, Alden, and Jesus hurried off, taking out the remaining walkers. When they turned back, Marco’s hands were in his hair and his face was twisted in anguish as Maggie turned Ken’s head to the side and slid her knife through the base of his skull.


	6. Chapter Five

“Tell me again,” Tammy said, rocking gently beside her husband, Earl, on the couch.

“Tammy,” Earl sighed.

They had made it back to Hilltop well before dark. Alden and Marco took Ken’s body and prepared a casket for him while Maggie went straight to his parents, Tammy and Earl. It was hard for her to knock on the door, and even harder to relay the information.

“Tell me again,” Tammy repeated. “Tell me what happened.”

“Tammy, she’s already said everything there is to say,” Earl said.

“I don’t accept that,” Tammy said, shaking her head. “She took our boy out there, and for what? My son is dead, Earl! And what do we have to show for it? Nothin’ but a broke plow. Isn’t that right?”

“We found more than just a plow,” Maggie said. “That run was really important for the future—”

“Don’t you dare talk to me about no future right now!” Tammy snapped as she stood, waving her finger. “I know where all that shit went, Maggie. The Saviors got it, didn’t they? He didn’t even die helpin’ Hilltop!”

“Tammy, just calm down,” Earl said patiently, taking her by the hand.

“You think I’m gonna hit that little girl?” Tammy asked, throwing his hand off her. “I ain’t that woman. But what kind of man are you just to let this go?”

Maggie and Earl glanced at each other before he got to his feet.

“I’m no kind of man at all,” he said before disappearing into the partitioned bedroom.

“Oh, no, I didn’t—” Tammy called, but it was too late—he shut the door behind him.

Maggie rose from her seat.

“If you’ll let me, I’d like to help arrange a funeral.”

“Me and Earl will bury our boy, thank you. And you’re not welcome there,” Tammy said, holding back her tears. “I voted for you, Maggie Rhee, but we’re not friends.”

“I understand. I really do,” Maggie nodded.

“You know, Gregory’s been sayin’ he’s the one who’s always put Hilltop first,” Tammy said, shaking her head. “The man’s a damn scoundrel… but maybe he’s no fool. My son is dead. Your boy has no father. And those Saviors eat our food and take everything that Hilltop bled for. Dan wasn’t right to do what he did, but maybe he wasn’t wrong.”

* * *

That night, Maggie stood on the balcony, holding Hershel to her chest and listening to Alden sing a slow, sad song in farewell to Ken. It wasn’t fair that Ken was gone and, like Tammy had said, nothing to show for it but a broken plow.

Maggie had tried to say the run had been for the future, but even she struggled to believe that. Anna and Rick talked so much about the future and what it would mean for everyone to move forward together. But she just couldn’t stop thinking about everything they’d lost. It kept her up at night.

She couldn’t fathom how either of them could just keep going like the Saviors hadn’t taken so much from them. How Anna could be at Sanctuary after what they did to Daryl—after what Negan did to Glenn. Maggie hated to admit it, even in the privacy of her own mind, but she resented Anna for being able to just move on. To _move forward_ without justice for Glenn and everyone else they’d lost.

And when Anna fought so hard to get justice for that Savior, Johnny—Maggie had wanted to demand justice for Glenn all over again. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right.

* * *

* * *

Anna and Daryl led Rick, Michonne, Carol, and Ezekiel through the trading floor, where the Saviors had set up booths of wares to offer to their neighbors. Candles and torches were lit to light the dark, gloomy room, and chatter lingered in the air.

“Rick Grimes is here,” Mel called from her booth, and the chatter shifted.

“That’s the man that ended the war,” Potter said to the whispering children. “Is Negan suffering? I hope he damn well is,” he said as they passed.

“Hello,” Eugene greeted, approaching them. “All was well in your absence, other than a certain cabal of Saviors slingin’ me some serious stink-eye, but I’ve compiled a list of items that need your semi-immediate attention.”

“Not now, man,” Daryl said.

“I checked out the supplies. It’s a pretty good haul,” Laura praised, catching up to Anna and Daryl. “You should let everybody know.”

“We ain’t gettin’ up on a stage and givin’ a damn speech like him,” Daryl snapped.

Anna set her hand on his shoulder, and he sighed.

“It’s bad timin’. We just lost someone out there,” Daryl explained.

“Daryl, Anna,” Michonne called.

They turned to her, and Anna frowned in confusion.

“Does this happen often?” She asked, pointing to writing on the wall.

_Saviors save us. We are still Negan._

“More and more since Johnny died,” Anna said.

“Eugene, Jerry,” Daryl said. “You know who did that?”

“Don’t know, man,” Jerry said, shaking his head.

“That would be a negative,” Eugene said.

“Justin. Clean that up,” Daryl ordered.

“How?” Justin asked flippantly from where he sat behind his booth.

“What do you mean, ‘how’?” Daryl sneered. “Paint over it.”

“We just used up all the paint,” Justin said.

“Figure it out,” Daryl huffed.

Justin sighed and threw his book down as he stood to “figure it out”, casting a glance at Anna.

“Where’s Arat?” Anna asked, turning to Laura.

“I think she’s in the conference room,” Laura said.

* * *

* * *

Daryl and Rick made their way up onto the catwalk, looking out over the trade floor as people milled about. Daryl leaned against the railing.

“What’s up?” Rick asked as he joined him.

“I don’t want us leadin’ these people anymore. Me and Anna,” Daryl said.

“Okay…,” Rick said slowly. “Why?”

“I don’t know. Bein’ here behind these walls again—” Daryl began. “It just don’t feel right, man. I’m better out there. I always have been.”

“You and Anna have kept this place together. You’ve kept people in line here. We can’t just let the Sanctuary fail after everything that’s happened,” Rick implored.

“Man, it’s gonna fail anyway,” Daryl huffed. “Nothin’ grows here. It’s a damn factory, man. Look, when Negan was around, he needed people to provide for him. It’s still the same. Nothing’s changed.”

“No. It’s different now,” Rick argued. “We give what we give willingly, and you all give back.”

“How long’s that gonna last?” Daryl asked. “Most of the bridges are out after the big storm. The highway’s done. We’ve scavenged every drop of gas for miles. And we can’t make enough corn fuel to run the cars or the trucks.” He shook his head. “Pretty soon, it’s gonna be more than a day’s ride from one spot to another.”

“Well, it’s on us to figure out how to make it work,” Rick said.

“Man, there ain’t no “us” anymore,” Daryl snapped. “Everyone’s everywhere. That small group we had back in the beginning—we could do anything. That was right. That’s what I know.”

Rick was quiet for a moment.

“Well, you and Anna wanna come home to Alexandria, then?” He asked.

“No,” Daryl said, thinking of the little house in the woods and how they hadn’t told much of anyone about it. “We’ll go back to Hilltop, check on Maggie and the baby.”

“Well, you two go, someone’s got to take your place,” Rick sighed. “Rosita and Eugene are headed to Oceanside next. Maggie’s sending food, but not people, and Kingdom’s got its own problems rebuilding after losing its fighters,” Rick pointed out. “If Alexandria sends another person out, I could use the help back home.”

“Anna’s been training Arat to take over for us,” Daryl said.

“And is Arat ready to take over? What does Anna say about leaving?” Rick asked.

Daryl was quiet.

“Anna won’t want to leave until she’s sure Arat can handle things or at the very least, has someone helping her,” Rick said. “We’re not together because things have changed.”

Daryl hummed the affirmative.

“The thing is, you changed ‘em, Rick,” he said, looking to his friend. “But I get it.”

With nothing left to be said, Daryl clapped Rick on the arm and walked off to have a cigarette before retiring to his and Anna’s room.

* * *

* * *

In the conference room, Anna relayed to Arat everything that had happened on the run and asked for a report on Sanctuary. Arat explained the relatively uneventful day Sanctuary had in her absence, except for a few arguments and some more writing on the wall.

Arat assured Anna she was trying to figure out who was behind the graffiti and had come up with a few suspects, but had yet to question any of them, since she wanted to wait for Anna’s return.

Anna praised her handling of Sanctuary and sent her off to relax. Arat left with a ‘thank you’ and left Anna alone in the conference room to look over the papers scattered over the table.

With a sigh, Anna began to gather the papers and sort them into folders and neat piles. She glanced at the production report and thought back to the meeting she’d had with Jessie and Eugene the previous day. While their production of corn fuel was low, it wasn’t quite as worrisome as their production of bullets.

After sending out the first shipment of bullets to the communities, they ran out of casings to use. They’d filled a demand that wasn’t quite there. The communities had more than they needed, and weren’t sending for another order.

Anna thought bitterly on all the wars the world had gotten into before the apocalypse. War was good for business. Without war, they didn’t need as many bullets. Without that need for bullets, the Saviors had nothing but corn fuel to trade for food and supplies—and they could only make so much. Daryl, Eugene, and Jessie had explained to her how the near hundred percent ethanol wouldn’t be good for most engines for very long before damage was done.

It seemed that no matter what they did, Sanctuary was just behind the curve. Doomed to fall behind.

Anna leaned back in her chair and sighed, thinking of how much she sucked at leading these people when there was a knock at the door.

“Come in,” she called.

Rick and Michonne walked in, and she gestured for them to have a seat.

“Everything all right?” Michonne asked as they sat down.

“Is anything ever all right?” Anna asked, laughing dryly.

“It will be,” Rick assured. “You and Daryl have been doing a good job here. And what you and Maggie did—I’m proud of you for handling that so well.”

“Not everyone is happy about the outcome,” Anna said, elbows on the table.

“Not everyone is going to be happy with every decision you make,” Rick shrugged. “Doesn’t make it any less right.”

“Maybe,” Anna grumbled.

It was quiet for a long moment.

“Daryl wants to leave,” Rick finally said.

“I know,” Anna nodded.

“Do you want to leave?” He asked.

Anna said nothing, pressing her lips together.

“This isn’t where I want to be,” she finally said. “It’s not where I want Daryl to be.”

“He won’t come back to Alexandria,” Rick went on.

“I know,” Anna said again.

“And what about you?” Michonne asked.

“You know I’ve got no problem going back there, but….” She paused. “Alexandria just isn’t where we want to be.”

“Where do you want to be?” Michonne pushed.

“We’ll probably stay at Hilltop for a bit, spend time with Maggie and Hershel,” Anna mused.

“And after that?”

Anna shrugged. She still wasn’t sure she wanted to tell them about the little house in the woods.

“After that, who knows,” Anna muttered. “Anything could happen.”

“So, you want to leave Sanctuary,” Rick concluded. “Is Arat ready to be left in charge?”

“She’s getting there, but not quite,” Anna said. “I worry that if I leave, it’ll be open season on the Saviors. I don’t want a repeat of Dan.”

“There won’t be,” Rick assured. “What you and Maggie did—it set an example.”

“Maybe we need more than just an example,” Anna huffed.

“Like what?” Michonne asked.

“Like an agreement, or a pact. Maybe a blood oath,” Anna joked. “Just something between the communities—”

“This is the way we treat each other, and this is what happens when we don’t,” Michonne added.

“Exactly,” Anna said, looking to the woman. “That’s exactly it.”

“Like a constitution?” Rick suggested.

“A charter,” Michonne said.

“Why not a constitution?” Rick asked.

Michonne gave him a look.

“Charter works,” Rick said quickly, and Anna laughed. “You think that’s something the others will agree to?”

“I think it’s something we all need,” Anna said before pressing her hands into her forehead. “We also need a new bridge.”

“Maybe that can be something else,” Rick said. “Something else to bring us all together.”

“Are you saying you want to build a new bridge?” Michonne asked.

“Rick’s right,” Anna said. “A project like that—everyone working together to build something for everyone?”

“A bridge and a charter? It could be everything,” Rick nodded.

“It could be a new beginning,” Anna smiled.

* * *

* * *

Daryl sat in his usual spot, lighting his rolled cigarette. He heard the door open and half-expected it to be Anna, but when he looked over his shoulder, he saw that Carol had come to join him. He held out his cigarette to her after taking a few puffs. She took it and dropped it to the ground, stamping it out.

“Those things will kill you,” she said before taking a seat beside him.

“Why aren’t you in bed?” He asked.

“Why aren’t you?” She threw back. “We don’t sleep. Ezekiel on the other hand, sleeps like a baby. It’s annoying.”

“Does he snore fancy, too?” Daryl teased.

“Stop it,” Carol said, trying not to laugh.

“Nah, he’s all right,” Daryl shrugged. “He’s a bit corny, but…,” he trailed off.

“Glad I have Pookie’s approval,” Carol grinned, bumping him with her shoulder. “After what I went through with Ed, corny is really nice.”

“No, I’m happy for you,” Daryl said, nodding. “If anybody deserves to be happy, it’s you. I don’t like not seein’ you, though.”

They were quiet for a moment.

“Daryl,” Carol said, and he hummed in response. “I want to take over here for a while, for you and Anna. And don’t argue.”

“Anna might not go for it,” Daryl warned.

“I’ll talk to her,” Carol assured.

He nodded.

“You gonna bring Henry and the King with you?” He asked.

“I haven’t told him, yet,” Carol admitted, shaking her head. “He asked me to marry him.”

“What?” Daryl asked, taken aback.

“Yeah,” Carol sighed. “And part of me wanted to just say ‘yes’ right then.”

“Why didn’t you?” He asked.

“I don’t know. I want to help out,” she said. “Take my time, you know?”

“You want me to stay here with you?” Daryl offered.

“No,” she said, leaning her head on his shoulder. “You ever think about it?”

“About what?” Daryl asked.

“You know. Getting married,” she said.

Daryl didn’t say anything for a long time. Truth was, he hadn’t thought about it up until a few weeks ago. The thought of getting married hadn’t exactly seemed relevant, given the times. He and Anna were fine the way they were, and she hadn’t made any hints to wanting it, anyway.

“Daryl?” She asked.

With a sigh, Daryl reached into his breast pocket and held out his hand. Between his fingers was a gold band with three diamonds, one oval shaped and raised in the middle of two square diamonds embedded in the band.

“Jessie gave it to me a few weeks ago,” he explained. “Said it was their mom’s.”

“Anna and Rosita are going to be pretty surprised Jessie asked you to marry him,” Carol said.

“Shut up,” Daryl huffed.


	7. Chapter Six

Early morning found Anna out in the courtyard, training with her spear. Feeling eyes on her, she went into the final position and settled her spear at her side. She turned to see Carol standing a few feet away, watching her.

“You’re up early,” Carol said, moving to sit on the concrete steps.

Anna went to stand in front of her, leaning on her stick.

“So are you,” Anna said.

They were quiet for a few minutes, enjoying the morning rays of the sun and each other's company.

“You ever wonder where he is?” Carol asked.

“Yeah,” Anna said, going to sit beside her, turning the spear in her left hand. “But he’s where he needs to be—wherever that is.”

“How can you be sure of that?” Carol asked. “We should have listened to you when you said not to go see him. Maybe he’d still be here,” Carol sighed.

“He needed time to be alone, to figure things out,” Anna said, shaking her head. “He couldn’t do that here.”

Roughly a month after Anna had taken supplies to Morgan, Rick, Jesus, and Carol asked her to bring him back. She refused and told them to leave him alone. They ignored her and went to speak to him. He told them he’d think about it, and when they returned to check on him, he was gone. There was a note left behind.

_Don’t come looking._

“Do you like being here?” Carol asked suddenly.

“Here?” Anna asked. “I don’t exactly call it home.”

“But you’ve done so well here, leading the Saviors, taking care of them,” Carol said.

“It’s not where I want to be,” Anna admitted.

“Then let me take over for a while. Take a break; you and Daryl deserve it after everything,” Carol said.

“What?” Anna asked, incredulous. “Carol, that isn’t necessary.”

“Daryl wants to get away from this place, and you don’t have to be here,” Carol said. “Take some time.”

“He doesn’t have to be here. He can—”

“He’s not going anywhere without you,” Carl said, cutting her off. “Let me do this for you. Please.”

Anna frowned, knowing there was no point in arguing.

“All right, just… let me talk to Arat, give her a heads up,” Anna finally relented.

“I’ll help her get ready to take over, don’t worry,” Carol assured.

* * *

“What do you mean you're leaving?” Arat asked, panic clear on her face from where she sat across from Anna.

“I mean, I’m leaving,” Anna said. “Daryl and I are heading out with Rick and Michonne to Hilltop.”

“But you’re coming back, right? You aren’t just leaving us?” Arat asked.

“Honestly? I don’t know,” Anna admitted. “Carol can take care of things, and help you figure out this whole leadership thing.”

“But—what about—” Arat stammered. “The Saviors trust you,” she said.

Anna furrowed her brow, but shook her head and sighed.

“The Saviors are just going to have to trust Carol,” Anna insisted. “And you’re going to help them do that. I’m not going to abandon you guys completely. You’ve still got my support.”

“Just from a distance,” Arat grumbled.

“I’ll come by for visits, but I can’t be in charge anymore,” Anna said.

“Why not?” Arat asked. “Everything has been going great. You’ve been doing great.”

“I’ve always planned on leaving, Arat,” Anna said.

“Yeah, when I could take over!”  
“And you’re almost ready to,” Anna assured. “Carol’s just going to be the one to cross the finish line with you.”

“You’re leaving ‘cause Daryl doesn’t want to be here, aren’t you?” Arat accused.

“Yes,” Anna said. “And, I can admit that I don’t really want to be here, either.”

Hurt flashed across Arat’s face, but she quickly covered it up.

“Look, Daryl and I are going with Rick and Michonne to Hilltop to talk about rebuilding the bridge. They’re going to need the help in handling that. So, that’s where we’re going,” Anna explained.

Arat shook her head.

“You want to rebuild the bridge?” She asked, incredulous.

“Yes, and it’s going to take all of the communities working together to get it done,” Anna said.

“So, what? You’re going to take the lead on the bridge?” Arat asked.

“No—maybe—I don’t know,” Anna huffed, shaking her head. “I’ll let them decide who’s going to be in charge at the bridge,” she said waving her hand dismissively. “I wasn’t supposed to be in charge here. It just happened.”

Arat pursed her lips, saying nothing for a moment.

“So, Carol… what’s she like?” She finally asked.

“A bit hard to get close to. Stay on her good side, and you should be fine,” Anna shrugged. “She’s kind, but not one to mess with.”

Arat nodded, taking a deep breath.

“I guess… I guess it won’t be too bad without you…,” she said, though she sounded uncertain.

“You and Sanctuary will be fine,” Anna smiled. “You’ll be in good hands with Carol.”

“If you trust her, I trust her,” Arat said firmly.

“I do,” Anna said. “Come on. Time to let everyone else know.”

The two headed down to the factory floor, gathering the rest of the Saviors. The crowd quieted down the moment she, Arat, and Carol climbed up onto the platform. She made her announcement that she and Daryl would be leaving, and that Carol and Arat would take over. Not everyone was exactly happy with the change of command, but not many argued. It seemed Arat’s appointment as co-leader was enough to appease them.

Anna and Daryl gathered a few things for their “vacation” and headed to Hilltop with Rick and Michonne, while Ezekiel and Jerry returned to the Kingdom. It took well over a few hours to reach Hilltop and once there, they found Maggie and Emma waiting for them by the stables.

Anna climbed off her bike and went to greet her friends when she paused, staring at the bruising on Maggie’s face.

* * *

While Rick spoke with Maggie about building the bridge, Anna sat with Emma on the front porch, sharpening her spear. When Maggie had explained what happened with Earl and Gregory, Anna had been absolutely livid. Though she had managed to calm down, Anna was still quietly fuming.

“So, a charter, huh?” Emma asked, watching the Hilltoppers go about their day.

“Yeah,” Anna said, knowing she was trying to distract her. “Common law, so shit like this gets dealt with correctly.”

“Maggie’s going to deal with it,” Emma assured.

“How?” Anna asked. “That shit lord is a fucking coward. If he was willing to do that once, he’s going to be willing to do it again,” Anna bit out before she paused and took a breath. “It’s not up to us to decide who’s redeemable,” she reminded herself.

Despite everything that had happened with Isaac and with Negan, it was still a constant struggle to remember her resolve. It was why she’d spoken to Morgan; it was why she trained every day; it was why she hadn’t demanded Dan be put to death.

“I hate to say it, but it’s not up to you what Maggie does here,” Emma said. “He tried to have her killed. It’s up to her to decide what happens.”

“I know, but…,” Anna trailed off, shaking her head as she sighed. “I don’t know if I’m right, or wrong, or somewhere in between. I just… I don’t know.” She set the wet stone on the step beside her and brushed her hair out of her face. “Whatever happens is going to happen and there’s not a damn thing I can do to make things right.”

“It’ll all be okay,” Emma assured, patting Anna on the shoulder. “It will.”

“It’s getting late,” Anna said, looking up at the sky. “It’s almost time.”

* * *

Anna stood at the back of the crowd beside Rick and Michonne as Maggie made her way to the front. Tammy stood beside Earl, his hands bound in front of him, and Daryl stood beside Gregory. Gregory, his hands similarly bound, sat astride a horse, a noose around his neck.

“I don’t want to do this,” Maggie began, addressing those gathered. “But people need to understand that at Hilltop, the punishment fits the crime.”

She turned to Gregory.

“Do you have any final words?” She asked Gregory.

“What you’re doing isn’t right,” he said, his voice wavering with fear. “Somebody stop this, please. Killing me in the dead of night because you’re ashamed.”

“You’re wrong,” Maggie said. “I’m not ashamed,” she said before nodding to Daryl.

“Stop this! Please!” Gregory begged as Daryl approached. “Now, for the love of God, stop it!”

“Maggie, stop!” Michonne called.

Anna whirled around to see two children watching from a distance, but it was too late. Anna turned back just as Daryl smacked the back of the horse, sending it running forward. She could hear the snap of his neck as Gregory dangled and swung from the rope, struggling to breathe.

“Get the children back in bed,” Maggie ordered, and two Hilltoppers ushered the children away. “I made this decision. But this is not the beginning of something. I don’t want to go through it again.” She turned back to Daryl. “Cut him down.”

He’d stopped struggling, and his body stopped twitching, but still he swung, like a pendulum on a grandfather clock. Daryl cut the rope, and his body thudded unceremoniously to the ground.

* * *

Anna stared at the ceiling as Daryl climbed into bed beside her. They blew out their candles and got comfortable, but Anna couldn’t seem to close her eyes. She couldn’t quite get Gregory’s cries out of her head.

“Gregory sucked,” Anna said.

“He did,” Daryl agreed, putting one hand behind his head.

“He wasn’t going to stop sucking,” she went on.

“No, he wasn’t,” Daryl said. “You thinkin’ Maggie was wrong to kill him?”

“I don’t know,” Anna admitted. “He tried to kill her, and so did Earl. But is being useful the only thing saving Earl? Where do we draw the line?”

Daryl said nothing, though she knew he was still awake.

“I’m going to Alexandria with Rick and Michonne tomorrow,” she said.

“Why?” He asked.

“I need to see him,” she said.

There was another moment of silence.

“Okay,” Daryl said.

* * *

After visiting with Hershel and Glenn, Anna rode out with Rick and Michonne, heading for Alexandria. Daryl had refused to go and she didn’t push him to, but she wanted to visit with Judith and Carl before they started setting up the bridge camp. Aside from her other reason.

At Alexandria, Anna sat and played with Judith for a little bit, told Carl all about what had been happening with the Saviors, and ate dinner with Rick and Michonne before she headed for the little blue house she hadn’t gotten to see over the past year and a half. With Jessie and Rosita still at Sanctuary, Anna had the house to herself. She showered and got ready for bed, choosing to sleep on the couch.

But she couldn’t quite find sleep. So, instead, she wandered the streets of Alexandria in the dead of night until she found herself standing at a door. Deftly, she pulled it open and walked into the little room with the wall of bars.

She peered through the dark, just making out the shadowy shape laying on the cot, the only light being from the moon filtering through the high, barred window.

“Well, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Negan asked.

Anna pulled up a chair and sat down just in front of the cell as Negan sat up on his cot. Her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, and she could just see the smirk on his face.

“Anna, right?” He asked. “The General—I should’ve put a bounty on your head, too.”

“But you didn’t, and here we are,” Anna said, crossing her arms over her chest and one leg over the other as she leaned back.

“Here we are,” he echoed. “So, what brings you to my little pocket of the world?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” she shrugged. “And I guess I wanted to see you for myself.”

“Make sure I’m suffering?” He asked flippantly. “Ole Ricky boy said you took over the Saviors. How’s that goin’ for ya?”

“The Saviors have come a long way since you’ve been gone,” Anna said. “They contribute, they trade. We’re at peace.”

“How long you think that’s gonna last?” Negan asked. “I mean, you don’t actually believe in all that second chances, anyone-can-change bullshit, do you?”

“I don’t know if everyone can change, but everyone deserves a chance,” she said. “Even a piece of shit like you.”

Negan huffed a laugh.

“Not much of a second chance, sitting behind these bars.”

“Can you think of an alternative?” She asked patiently. “It’s not like we can watch you every second of the day. And besides, you still have to answer for the things you’ve done.”

“The things I’ve done?” He scoffed. “Everything I did was to save people.”

“You did a shitty job,” Anna said, rolling her eyes.

“You’re tellin’ me you’ve never killed anyone to protect the people you give a shit about?” Negan asked.

“I never had to kill anyone just to prove a point,” Anna said.

“But you have had to kill people,” Negan said. “Don’t act like you’re better than me. Your hands are just as blood-covered as mine.”

“You’re right. But the difference? You enjoy it,” she said. “I remember the smile on your face when you beat my best friend to death.”

“Your best friend?” He asked. “Seriously?”

“Do you even remember him? Do you even know his name?” She asked. “Do you even give a shit about what you’ve done?”

“Do you have any idea what the Saviors were like before I came along?” He asked, clearly irritated. “Guys like Simon just killed whoever, whenever.”

“And, yet, he was your right-hand guy,” Anna said.

“I wanted to keep an eye on him,” he said.

“Fat lot of good that did,” Anna huffed.

“I killed him for the shit he pulled with the garbage people,” Negan insisted.

Anna rolled her eyes and shook her head.

“I gave him chance after chance—I gave you guys a shit load of chances—at some point you just gotta draw a line in the sand,” he said.

Anna looked to the ground, thinking of Gregory. He’d been given plenty of chances to redeem himself. Perhaps the line was when he tried to kill Maggie. But then, Dan had actually killed Johnny, and Negan had actually killed Glenn and Abraham. And they were alive, sitting in their cells. And Isaac….

“If we did let you out, would you cross that line again?” She asked.

“What’s it matter? Rick ain’t lettin’ me out.”

“Maybe it doesn’t,” she shrugged, getting to her feet and heading for the door.

“Wait,” Negan called, and she paused, hand on the doorknob. “You can’t tell me you got what you came here for.”

She bowed her head and let out a heavy sigh.

“I didn’t expect much coming here,” Anna said. “It would have been foolish of me to think you feel any sort of remorse for what you’ve done.”

She heard him shifting and when he spoke next, he sounded closer, as if he were standing at the bars.

“I didn’t kill people because I wanted to. I did it because I had to—to keep order,” he said. “And yeah, maybe I enjoyed it. But would letting the guilt wear me down have been any better? No amount of guilt is going to bring the people we’ve killed back.”

Anna let out a dry laugh, turning around to lean back against the door. He stood at the bars, holding them in his hands as he seemed to peer at her in the dark. His face was nothing but shadow, and she wondered if he was smirking or frowning.

“I hate the walkers. They kill and eat without regard. I used to think they were monsters. But you?” She shook her head. “You’re worse than that. Nothing can change what’s happened, you’re right. Feeling the guilt isn’t about that.”

“Then tell me, what is it about?”

“Being human.”

With that, Anna turned and left him.

* * *

In the morning, Anna stood at the front gates with Rick and Michonne. She checked over her bike and made sure she had everything she needed before looking to her companions.

“We’ll meet you and Daryl at the bridge in a couple days to help get things set up,” Rick said, patting Anna on the shoulder.

“I’ll swing by Sanctuary, get some volunteers,” Anna said.

“Maggie wants the Saviors to provide most of the workforce,” Rick reminded her. “Try to get as many as you can.”

“Roger that,” she grinned, and Rick stepped back for Michonne to take his place.

“Those common laws. I’ll start doing some research, come up with stuff that’ll be best for everyone, and we can talk about it the next time we see each other,” Michonne said.

“I’ll do the same,” Anna agreed, climbing onto her bike. “This is going to work. All of it,” she said, looking between the two as she adjusted her spear on her back.

She started her bike, the engine roaring to life as the front gates rolled open and the spiked barriers were moved aside. Anna gave a single wave before she sped off down the road, directing herself toward Sanctuary.


	8. Chapter Seven

Anna opened her eyes to look up at the green tent ceiling, a small beetle crawling across the canvas. She arched her back, listening to the successive pops of her spine before climbing out of her sleeping bag. Daryl was already up for the day, working on the bridge with the others.

She quickly cleaned the night's sweat from her skin, grumbling to herself about the warm weather even through brushing her teeth. As she threw her hair up into a high ponytail, strands fell out into her forehead and on her neck. She changed into clean clothes and pulled on her boots before she started for the tent opening, grabbing her spear as she passed.

It had been nine days since she left Alexandria. Alden, Eugene, and Jessie had drafted up plans for the bridge, as well as a dam to quell the flow of water down the river. The dam itself took four days to put up before all focus was directed on the bridge.

Looking around the camp, Anna was once again surprised that she had managed to garner quite a bit of a workforce from Sanctuary. Arat said it was because of what she did for Johnny and had insisted on joining the bridge workers. And then there was the mixing of the communities. Everyone had sent people—none more so than Sanctuary—and for the most part, it had been amicable, besides a few disagreements here and there that were quickly taken care of.

“Hey, Anna,” Arat greeted as she came to walk beside Anna through the camp. “I took a look at the inventory. We’re doing all right on lumber for now, but we’re going to need more in a few weeks. As for the food, we’re going to need another shipment from Hilltop soon.”

“Any news on whether or not Hilltop received the fuel?” Anna asked. “They won’t send any food until they get that.”

“Laura said the fuel went out yesterday when she left to come here,” Arat said.

“Then Hilltop should have gotten it. They’ll send food when they come to pick up the wood,” Anna assured.

“It’s just, the others—you know, they’re not so sure Hilltop will honor their end of the deal,” Arat said.

“They have so far,” Anna reminded her. “We just need to be patient. How’s the purifier situation?”

“Eugene and Jessie almost have it working. They said it should be good to go by tonight,” Arat said.

“All right, everything’s shaping up,” Anna grinned. “You’re doing good, Arat.”

“Thanks,” she said, smiling before walking off.

Anna continued to the bridge, where she saw Daryl working with the others on pulling up the frame camp side. Across the river, another group was pulling up an identical frame. She spotted Jessie bent over a crate beside Alden and walked over.

“We should be able to start putting up the supports by tomorrow, if Eugene’s calculations are right,” Alden said.

“I triple checked his numbers. We should be good,” Jessie assured.

“Sounds like everything is going all right,” Anna said, scanning the plans.

“Yeah, thanks to Alden, Eugene and I have been able to put our genius to good use on this bridge,” Jessie said, nudging the man.

“Couldn’t have done it without you guys,” Alden said, shrugging.

“How’s worker satisfaction?” Anna asked, glancing at the men as they anchored the frame into the ground.

“Pretty good—the Saviors aren’t happy about not getting guns,” Alden said.

“That was the deal,” Anna sighed.

“Yeah, and I get it,” Alden said quickly.

Anna glanced at her brother, seeing him staring at Daryl’s group, frowning.

“What’s wrong?” Anna asked.

“I don’t see Sam,” Jessie said. “He was supposed to be helping put up the frame.”

“Maybe he’s on the other side?” Alden suggested.

“Nah, I don’t see him,” Jessie said, shaking his head.

“Could just be takin’ a leak,” Alden offered.

“Has anyone seen him today?” Anna asked.

“I haven’t seen him since last night,” Jessie said, turning to her.

“Let’s ask around,” Anna said. “Alden, why don’t you go check and see if he’s in his tent.”

Alden nodded and headed off as Anna and Jessie made their way around the workers and other camp residents. They asked if anyone had seen Sam, and when the last they had seen him was. Everyone said the same thing—last night, and not since. Alden returned to them with news that his tent was vacant.

Anna pulled Daryl aside while everyone was taking a break.

“Hey, do you have any idea where Sam might be?” She asked.

“He ain’t in his tent?” He asked, and she shook her head. “Maybe he went back to Sanctuary.”

“Without telling anyone? Is that something he would do?” Anna asked.

Daryl pressed his lips together.

“No,” he said.

A deep frown settled over Anna’s face, and she brushed her hair from her forehead.

“Then we have a problem.”

* * *

Anna stood in her and Daryl’s tent, trying to decide how best to handle the situation. She didn’t doubt that soon the others would notice Sam’s absence and would come looking for answers.

Arat stepped through the tent flaps then, a worried look on her face.

“I just radioed Sanctuary,” she said. “They haven’t seen him there, either. There’s no food missing from inventory, and all of the guns are accounted for.”

“Damn,” Anna hissed.

“What do you think this means?” Arat asked. “Do you think someone took him?”

“He could have gone out last night to relieve himself and got caught off guard. Maybe a walker got him,” Anna mused. “He could’ve turned and wandered off.”

“But—”

“But what if that’s not what happened,” Anna said, pacing back and forth. “We’re going to need to tell the others, get a group together to look for him, see what we can find.”

“You’re sure that won’t cause a panic?” Arat asked, uncertain.

“It’d be worse if we didn’t tell them,” Anna said. “If they found out something happened to him and we knew and didn’t say anything? They’d be pissed.”

“All right,” Arat nodded. “So, we tell them and go looking. What happens if it wasn’t a walker? If it was someone else.”

“We do what we have to do,” Anna said firmly. “Get everyone together.”

Arat nodded and left, passing Daryl on the way out.

“Still nothin’ on Sam,” he said. “You gonna tell ‘em?”

“Yeah,” she said. “I’ll take some of the less essential people to look for him, you keep work going on the bridge.”

“All right,” Daryl said, nodding.

“Everyone’s ready,” Arat said, poking her head back in.

Anna took a deep breath and started out of the tent, grabbing her map as she went, followed by Daryl. She moved to stand in the middle of the crowd of camp residents and got up on a small crate so they could all see her.

“The Savior, Sam, hasn’t been seen around camp since last night. Arat called up to Sanctuary, and they haven’t seen him either. All of his things are still in his tent,” Anna began.

“Is he dead?” Someone asked from the crowd.

“We don’t know,” Anna said. “But I want to get a group together to look for him. If he’s out there, he could be hurt.”

“Or dead,” said the same person, and Anna realized it was Justin, standing idly beside Jed. “Someone probably killed him.”

“Or he could have been bit,” Arat threw out. “If that’s the case, we need to take care of it.”

“Everyone who’s working on the bridge will continue to do so. Anyone else—I need volunteers,” Anna said.

A decent-enough amount of hands were raised, and Anna sent everyone else off and gestured for the search party to come near as she climbed down from her box. She laid out the map and designated everyone into pairs, telling them the areas they were to cover. No matter how they found him, they were to bring him back to camp.

* * *

The next few days consisted of building the bridge, maintaining the dam, and searching for Sam. Anna eventually had to put Arat in charge of the search party in order to focus her own efforts on keeping order at the camp.

Justin and Jed continued to push the idea that there was foul play and demand the Saviors be given guns to protect themselves. Anna, however, remained steadfast in the agreement not to arm them.

A new shipment of food and supplies arrived from Hilltop, and Rick came to check on the progress of the bridge.

“How’s everything goin’ out here?” Rick asked, looking around the tent Anna had designated Ground Control.

“Well, the bridge is coming along nicely, everyone’s getting along more or less, and one of the Saviors has turned up missing,” she said quickly.

“Run that last bit by me again,” Rick said, turning to face her.

“One of the Saviors, Sam—this is the third day since he came up missing, and we haven’t found any clues as to what might have happened,” Anna explained.

“Maybe he went back home,” Rick suggested, and she shook her head.

“We radioed the Sanctuary. No one has seen him,” Anna insisted. “I’ve got search parties going out every day to look for him, but none of them have found a damn thing. He’s probably dead. The question is how he died.”

“You think it was foul play?” Rick asked.

“I don’t know,” Anna said, shaking her head. “He could’ve gone out in the night and been taken out by a walker. But I’m not ruling anything out—not after what happened with Dan.”

“Whatever happened, we can handle it.”

“Yeah, we just need to find him,” Anna said, rolling her eyes. “I’m thinking Daryl and I go out tomorrow and check the perimeter for any signs. Maybe we see something no one else has.”

“Might be a good idea,” Rick agreed. “I can stay, keep an eye on things while y’all are out there.”

“Arat can handle it,” Anna said, waving him off.

“If you’re sure,” Rick said hesitantly. “I’ll leave in the morning, though. If that’s alright with you.”

“Of course,” Anna said.

Rick pulled what appeared to be a folded letter from his back pocket and set it on the desk in front of her.

“From Michonne,” he said.

“Okay, I’ll have a reply ready for you to take back.”

Rick nodded, and Anna left for her and Daryl’s tent, unfolding Michonne’s message. It was two pages of notes and ideas. Anna read through them as she made her way through the camp, dodging people as she went, until she made it to her tent. She stepped inside, keeping the flap up to let a cool breeze in as she sat at the small table they’d put up on one side of the tent.

She spent some time writing out her own thoughts and ideas, scribbling in the margins of Michonne’s original letter. Sitting back in her seat, she scanned the notes again. Michonne had some good ideas.

_No killing each other._

_No stealing from each other._

_We help each other when one of us is in trouble._

Michonne had laid out what she meant by each of these rules, and Anna elaborated on her own ideas on them.

With a sigh, Anna leaned forward and started writing one last thing.

_The punishment for murder—_

She paused. What was murder to be met with? Maggie had killed Gregory for just trying to kill her. Anna had demanded Dan be imprisoned for actually murdering Johnny. What were they supposed to be doing?

Crossing out the line, she started again.

_The punishment for murder between two or more communities shall be negotiated between the community leaders involved._

* * *

Morning came and, after Anna gave him the message for Michonne, Rick left for Alexandria. Anna and Daryl headed out, leaving Arat in charge of the camp. The two made their way silently through the trees, walking the perimeter of the camp and keeping their eyes on the ground. They mostly found tracks from the search parties, but then again, they hadn’t expected to find much after four days.

“If he’s a walker, he ought to be long gone by now,” Daryl said.

“If he turned, don’t you think he would have been attracted to the camp?” Anna asked.

“Maybe. Or maybe he went further out,” Daryl suggested.

“The search parties went a mile out and found nothing,” Anna huffed.

“So, why are you still lookin’?” He asked.

She pressed her lips together, furrowing her brow.

“If he turned, that’s one thing. But if he was murdered?” She shook her head. “Who else is on the chopping block?”

Daryl was quiet, seeming unsure of how to answer. She knew she was valid in her concern. If it was murder, was it the Saviors being targeted? Was it another Dan situation?

“We should head back. Trail’s dead,” Daryl finally said. “We ain’t gonna find him.”

Anna bowed her head. He stepped over to her and touched her forearm.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

Anna nodded and took a deep breath.

When they returned, Anna begrudgingly prepared to tell the others they would no longer be looking for Sam. She didn’t want them risking their lives searching for someone they wouldn’t find.

But before she could gather everyone, Arat hurried up to her.

“Jake is missing.”

* * *

The rest of the day was spent trying to find Jake. Just like Sam, no one had seen him since the night before at dinner, and he hadn’t gone to Sanctuary. Anna combed the area with Daryl and found nothing.

Anna knew Jake wouldn’t have just left, not with a family back at Sanctuary. There was no doubt in her mind that there was something going on. She just had to figure out what.


	9. Chapter Eight

For the next several days, as Anna was unable to find any answers for the missing, Saviors were walking off and heading back to Sanctuary. They were now down four Saviors; they had left of their own volition in broad daylight after demanding they be armed and being refused.

Anna sat in the ground control tent, staring at the map and blueprints spread out over the table. It was clear that the only reason the rest of the Saviors hadn’t abandoned ship was because of her insistence that she would get to the bottom of things. Arat was doing her best to quell the growing frustrations. But they could only do so much.

Daryl walked in then and dropped his crossbow onto the table.

“Get your gear,” he said.

“What for?” Anna asked.

“We’re goin’ huntin’,” he said, leaning against the table.

“It’s late, and who’s going to—”

“Arat can handle the camp, Jessie has the bridge. You need a break,” he said firmly.

“Shouldn’t we leave in the morning, at least?” She asked.

“Nah, break time is now,” he said. “Let’s go.”

He turned and walked out of the tent, leaving no room for discussion. Anna huffed and got to her feet, following after him.

They gathered their gear and some rations. Anna informed Arat and Jessie of the last-minute plans before they headed out. They walked for a few miles before they picked up a trail. They followed it for a few hours until it became far too dark. Daryl put up a perimeter and Anna started a fire before they cooked up some rabbits they had caught.

Conversation flowed easily between them, discussing the bridge and the mingling communities as they sat side-by-side, so close Anna was practically in his lap. At some point, they fell into a game of Twenty Questions.

“Dogs or cats?” Anna asked, her fingers gently brushing over his forearm until she was playing with his fingers.

“Dogs, I guess,” Daryl shrugged, turning his hand over so that she could trace the lines of his palm. “Never really thought about it.”

“Dogs are good. I like them both,” Anna said, stretching her hand over his to measure.

“Dogs are more useful than cats,” Daryl said. “You can train ‘em, take ‘em huntin.”

“Cats are hunters, too. Just different from dogs,” Anna pointed out. “Your turn.”

“Shit, uh… what’s your favorite animal?” He asked, scratching his beard.

“Dragons,” Anna said immediately, a smirk coming to her face.

“What’s your favorite real animal?” he clarified, shooting her a teasing glare.

“It’s my turn,” Anna said, poking him.

He rolled his eyes as she sat up to throw another piece of wood into the fire.

“Why did you want to come out here so much?” She asked, sitting back down beside him.

“Wanted to go huntin’ with my girl. It’s been awhile,” He said, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer.

“Your girl appreciates it,” she said, relaxing into his side.

She felt him chuckle and she smiled before she sat up again and turned to him.

“You know what, Daryl Dixon? You sure are a catch,” she said, placing her hand on his chest.

“Yeah, sure,” he grumbled, rolling his eyes.

“I’m serious,” she said, leaning forward. “I love you,” she whispered before pressing her lips to his.

“I love you, too,” he said when they pulled apart just long enough for him to speak—then they were kissing each other again.

* * *

Daryl had kept watch half the night before Anna took over until early morning. They ate some breakfast and cleaned up their campsite before gathering their gear and heading out. Anna expressed her worry about venturing too far from the bridge camp, but Daryl assured her it would be fine without them for another day or so.

They picked up a deer’s trail and followed it for about a mile before they finally spotted it, grazing in the trees. Daryl took a shot at it, hitting it in the neck when it darted off.

“And the chase is on,” Anna teased, starting after it.

With their combined skill, they found it rather quickly, breathing heavily and on alert with Daryl’s bolt sticking out of its neck. Anna gestured that she’d have a go at it with her rifle and steadied her aim. Exhaling slowly, Anna squeezed back on the trigger. A moment later, the deer crumpled to the ground.

“Good shot,” Daryl said, walking past her toward the animal.

Anna gave a wide grin and followed after him. He made quick work of field dressing the deer before they picked it up.

“We’re pretty close to Hilltop, maybe we can take this there?” Anna suggested.

“Nah, I know a place that’s closer,” Daryl said, starting them in the opposite direction of Hilltop.

Anna raised a brow at him but moved along. It was about an hour before she spotted the stone chimney between the trees. They broke through the tree line to a small clearing with a little light-green cottage with an old, blue pick-up truck parked in front.

“Hilltop probably would’ve been closer,” Anna said.

“Well, we’re here now, so come on,” Daryl huffed.

They carried the deer around back where Daryl hung it from a low tree branch. Daryl began to skin it while Anna found a bucket and filled it with water from an old water pump. He took charge of washing the meat and cutting it up while Anna headed inside to start a fire.

Finding some seasoning in the pantry, the two prepared a decent dinner for themselves and ate together at the table, talking and laughing and enjoying their time together. After dinner, they washed their dishes and sat down on the couch with a couple of books. Anna stretched her legs out so that they were across Daryl’s lap, and Daryl drummed his fingers against her shin as they read.

Periodically, he’d look up from his book and at her before he returned his focus on the pages, which she noticed he hadn’t turned. After about five minutes of this, Anna set her book on the coffee table and pulled her legs from his lap, sitting cross legged on the couch and facing him.

“All right, what is it?” She asked.

“Nothin’,” he said.

Anna raised a brow at him, saying nothing as she waited for him to admit to what had him bothered.

“You just gonna stare at me all night?” Daryl griped.

“You gonna tell me what’s going on?” Anna challenged. “You keep looking at me like you’ve got something to say. So, say it.”

Daryl let out a heavy sigh and reached into his breast pocket and for a moment she thought he was going to pull out a cigarette. She furrowed her brow; he never smoked around her. But then something shiny caught the light of the fire and he held it out to her, looking anywhere but at her.

She recognized it immediately. She had committed every bit of it to memory when she was a little girl, asking her mom to tell her how she and her dad met, how he had proposed, and what their wedding was like. Her chest constricted as she carefully took her mother’s ring from him.

“How did you—” she began.

“Jessie kept it. Gave it to me,” he explained quickly, leaning forward, elbows braced against his knees as he bowed his head, his hair obscuring his face.

“Daryl?” She asked, her voice barely audible.

“I know it’s—the world is—we—” he stammered.

“Are you asking me to marry you?” She asked, her heart pounding in her ears.

Daryl wiped his hand down his face and let out a heavy sigh, glancing around the room.

“This house, bein’ here with you—it just feels right,” he said, finally looking at her. “So, yeah, I am.”

Anna looked down at the ring, turning it between her fingers before she slipped it onto her left ring finger. It was just a little loose, but she could put some padding on it to keep it in place.

A smile spread across her face and she looked up at Daryl to see him watching her. She leaned forward and pulled him to her, kissing him long and hard before pulling away.

“Yes.”


	10. Chapter Nine

When Anna and Daryl returned from their hunting trip the next day, Emma, Carol, Ezekiel, Henry, and Rick had arrived at the bridge camp. Daryl didn’t feel the need to make any sort of announcements, and Anna was more than happy to only share the news with their close friends.

While Daryl told Carol and Rick, Anna pulled Jessie aside first, giving him a hug without warning.

“Thank you for keeping mom’s ring,” she said.

“So, he finally gave it to you,” Jessie grinned. “Good. When’s the big day?”

“We agreed to wait until the bridge is finished,” Anna said.

“Why wait?” He asked.

“Because, once we do it, we’re going to the cabin for good,” she said.

He nodded soberly.

“But you’ll come to visit?” He asked.

“Of course,” Anna assured. “I’ve got to come back when you and Rosita get married.”

She laughed as Jessie’s face turned a bright shade of red.

“I—we’re—” he stammered. “Shut up,” he finally huffed, shoving her shoulder gently but smiling, nonetheless. “Congratulations, little sister.”

“Thanks, big brother,” she grinned, lightly shoving him back.

Anna told Emma next and the two tried to contain their excitement. Carol and Rick had come to congratulate her. Anna was practically buzzing with anticipation, and she imagined it would last for quite some time.

Somehow, and unsurprisingly, word made its way around the camp, and Gabriel approached Anna. He offered to officiate the nuptials, and Anna agreed. He assured her they would discuss preferred verses for the ceremony at a later time.

Construction on the bridge continued as scheduled, and now they could walk across the river. Though they were still experiencing some walk offs, people were no longer going missing from the camp, and things seemed to be easing up. Rick and the others stayed at the bridge camp for a few days, helping with the bridge and the day to day.

At the moment, Anna was walking with Rick and Eugene.

“In regards to our makeshift levee upstream, given the current rate of spring runoff, I’d put its expiration date at another six to nine days,” Eugene explained. “After that, it’s slam, blam, sayonara cofferdam.”

“How fast can we have those supports ready?” Rick asked.

“Well, ditto on the six to nine, but if we boost our juice and shed the lead, I think we can beat it,” Eugene assured.

“Good,” Rick said. “I’ll talk to the foreman, make sure we do.”

“Scouts got back,” Rosita said as she joined them. “‘Horatio’s’ gonna pass us by, but it’ll be close.”

“We got a head count?” Anna asked.

“Hundred and change,” she said. “What, you think we should push the blasting?”

“No,” Rick said, and Anna nodded. “If we wait, we’ll wind up drawing that other herd.”

“‘Margaret’,” Rosita sighed.

“Right,” Anna said. “And that one’s five times as big.”

“We got the sirens in place?” Rick asked.

“Hell, yeah,” Rosita smirked.

“Then we blow the rockslide. If the herd comes, we’ll redirect,” Rick said.

“All right, I’ll let ‘em know,” Rosita said, heading off.

“Anything on those walk-offs?” Rick asked, looking between Anna and Eugene.

“As of head count this _manana_ , we’re down one more Savior,” Eugene said.

“That’s six in the past month,” Anna said. “Not including the ones that went missing.”

“I’ll talk to Carol about it,” Rick said with a heavy sigh.

“Roger that and wilco,” Eugene said as he and Anna followed after him.

The three approached the medical tent, where Siddiq was observing Enid as she gave Cyndie stitches on her hand.

“How’s the star student doing?” Rick asked.

“Ready to take on anything,” Siddiq said.

“Good, she’s gonna get her chance,” Rick said. “I’d like you to head back home. There’s a bug going around.”

“Okay,” Siddiq nodded. “I’ll head out with the next escort.”

“Wait, he’s leaving?” Enid asked, panicked.

“Ow!” Cyndie snapped when Enid tugged on the stitches.

“Sorry,” Enid said quickly.

“Uh, it’s fine,” Enid assured—though uncertain. “I-I’ve got this.”

“Yeah, I know,” Rick chuckled.

Anna flashed her a reassuring smile before the three continued on.

“My final line item is foodstuffs—or lack thereof,” Eugene said, flipping the page on his clipboard. “Alexandria is stretched wafer-slim supplyin’ grub to both the camp and the Sanctuary. Meanin’ our wafer-slim pickins are gettin’ wafer-slimmer by the day.”

“Maggie’s not going to send food until Hilltop gets the ethanol from Sanctuary,” Anna said. “Sanctuary is saying they sent the ethanol last week, and we haven’t been able to find the Saviors, let alone the wagon they were using to cart the fuel.”

“Yeah. Michonne’s on it,” Rick said.

“I’m worried,” Anna said, pulling Rick away from Eugene just a bit.

Eugene seemed to take the hint and turned to focus on his clipboard.

“We thought the disappearances were over, but now this?” Anna said.

“Maybe they just went AWOL,” Rick offered.

“Maybe, but—I just have a bad feeling about this,” Anna said, shaking her head.

“We’ll figure it out,” Rick assured. “We will.”

* * *

* * *

“Whoa, whoa!” Maggie called as the horse pranced stiffly around the round pin. “Easy.”

She felt his body tense beneath her and dug her feet into the stirrups just before he kicked his hind legs. After a bit more struggle, he was walking around the pin easily.

“Good boy,” she praised, patting his butt.

As she turned him around, she spotted Michonne and Jesus approaching.

“Whoa,” she said gently, pulling back on the reins to stop him.

She slid off the horse and walked over to meet them as Jesus leaned against one of the posts.

“Hey,” she greeted. “You came out alone?”

“From Sanctuary, yeah,” Michonne said.

“You find out anything?” Maggie asked.

“They’re saying they sent the ethanol out last week, like they promised,” Michonne said.

“Well, it’s still not here,” Maggie said.

“Yeah. Jesus mentioned that,” Michonne said, worry on her face. “I don’t know what happened.”

“They could be lyin’,” Maggie said, looking to Jesus.

“I don’t think they are,” Michonne said. “Maybe the guys who made the delivery were taken down by walkers or they went AWOL, but… we need the food. I was hoping you might send enough to tide them over while we figure this out.”

“We could do it,” Jesus assured. “We have the surpluses.”

“Yeah, but for how long?” Maggie asked. “Till we get that fuel…” she looked over her shoulder to the tractor that hadn’t moved in three weeks, “that tractor’s not movin’. Which means the big fields don’t get plowed and the yield comes in short.”

“What about the plow we brought back from the museum?” Michonne asked.

“I need a blacksmith to fix it, and I don’t have one right now,” Maggie explained.

“How long is Earl gonna be locked up?” Michonne asked.

“I don’t know,” Maggie said. “When Anna asked for Dan to be locked up, she asked for fifteen years, but I talked her down to seven. I doubt I can keep Earl in there for that long.”

“It might be time, then, to start talking about making some rules,” Michonne said. “Do you think he’d ever do something like this again?”

“I didn’t think that he’d do it the first time,” Maggie said.

“Well, you didn’t hang him like you did Gregory,” Michonne pointed out. “There must be a reason for that.”

“So, should I let him walk like nothin’ happened?” Maggie huffed.

“No,” Michonne said quickly. “I hate what he did to you, to Enid. But if keeping him locked up means that the crops don’t get planted, then it’s not just him that gets punished.”

“Uh, Hilltop will be fine,” Maggie snapped. “Until that ethanol shows up, we’re holding on to our surpluses, because we’re gonna need ‘em.”

Michonne glanced at Jesus, and Maggie wiped the dirt from her hand onto her jeans.

“It’s a long ride back to Alexandria,” she said. “You’re welcome to stay the night here if you’d like.”

“Thanks,” Michonne said as Maggie turned and walked back to the horse.

Maggie shook her head and let out a heavy sigh as she got back to work.

* * *

* * *

Daryl worked with Aaron and Darius as they dropped a plank into place. He shook out his hands before grabbing his hammer and some nails to start securing it.

“So, I go in after her nap and pick her up,” Aaron said, continuing his story about Gracie, grabbing his own hammer and nails, “and the diaper just explodes all over me.”

“Sounds like good times,” Daryl said sarcastically.

“Oh, the best,” Aaron assured. “You’ll see.”

Daryl squinted at him and shook his head.

“What?” Aaron asked. “You’d be a great dad.”

“Yeah,” Daryl huffed.

“You and Anna are getting married,” Aaron began. “Next you’ll have a bunch of kids running around, teaching them to hunt and all that other cool stuff you two do.”

Daryl said nothing as he hammered a nail into the plank. Kids. Did Anna want kids? She had never talked about having kids. From what he saw when she was playing with baby Hershel or Judith, she was pretty good with them. But playing with other people’s kids and having some of your own—that was different.

But he could see Anna puttering around the little green cabin with a swollen belly or teaching a little boy or girl how to read and write. He hoped whatever kid they had—if they did—took after her.

“Give it a rest, kid.”

Daryl and Aaron looked up in time to see Justin pushing Henry to the ground and pouring water from the cooler into his mouth. Henry jumped to his feet, taking out his stick and knocking Justin onto his back. Jed gave a raucous laugh as Henry walked away with the cooler.

“Hey, man, it’s cool. I got my ass handed to me by a kid one time, too,” Jed said, offering Justin a hand up. “Of course, I was six at the time.”

Justin got to his feet and started after Henry. Daryl dropped his tools and rushed forward, grabbing Justin.

“Hey. Kid’s just doin’ his job,” Daryl snapped. “Get back to work.”

“I don’t need you people telling me what to do,” Justin sneered. “You’re not my babysitter anymore.”

Justin turned and started after Henry again. Daryl grabbed for his arm again, and Justin swung around at him. Daryl ducked the punch and threw out his fist, slamming it square into Justin’s face. Justin flew back, landing into the pile of sand.

Daryl flinched back as Justin threw sand in his eyes and cried out, charging, and tackling him to the ground.

* * *

* * *

“I’ve been schemin’ and dreamin’ ‘bout padding out our pantry via repurposing expired canned goods and condiments,” Eugene said as the three continued toward the bridge. “By boiling old ketchup and cooling it with new cukes, I bet we can produce us a passable gazpacho.”

The sound of shouting carried down from the bridge, and Anna looked up to see Justin falling against the edge of the bridge before launching himself toward his adversary.

Anna and Rick took off, making their way up the steep incline before they were able to get onto the bridge. A crowd of people surrounded Justin and Daryl as they fought against each other.

“Hey! Hey!” Rick called. “Break it up!”

They shoved through the crowd just as Justin punched Daryl. Rick grabbed Justin by the arms and flung him back as Anna got in front of Daryl before he could attack again.

“Enough,” Rick said.

Daryl wiped at his face, panting as he spit blood onto the ground.

“Go back to work,” Rick ordered.

“Come on,” Anna said, guiding Daryl off the bridge.

Anna, Daryl, and Rick made their way to the ground control tent, where they found Carol going over the plans for the bridge. Rick quickly told her what happened, with Daryl filling in the details.

“He’s going to keep working. We just need to finish the bridge,” Rick said.

“So, that asshole just gets a free pass? Is that it?” Daryl snapped.

“It’s just a few more days,” Rick implored. “I don’t like it, either, but we're in a rush to get that work done. He’s strong. The Saviors are over half the workforce, and we’ve had too many walk off already.”

“Yeah. ‘Cause that’s who they are,” Daryl sneered. “Some of ‘em ain’t ever gonna fall in line just ‘cause you say so.”

“Daryl’s right,” Carol said. “These people have never had to live together. And we can’t expect everyone to just forget what’s happened.”

“It hasn’t been easy. I know,” Rick sighed. “It won’t be, not for a while.”

“It’s not about forgetting,” Anna interjected. “It’s about moving ahead together.”

“We keep doin’ that, they’ll see we’re all on the same side,” Rick said, nodding his agreement.

“Are we, though?” Daryl asked, looking to Rick. “We on the same side, Rick?”

“Well, you tell me,” Rick said.

“Thing is, man, I’ve been tryin’ to,” Daryl said stepping toward him. “But you don’t seem to want to hear it.”

With that he flung the tent flap aside and walked out.

“Daryl,” Rick called after him before sighing heavily.

“I’ll go talk to him,” Anna said, following after him.

She waited until they were back at their tent before she pulled him to a stop.

“Hey,” she said gently. “What was that all about?”

“It’s nothin’,” Daryl grumbled, turning to face her.

“No, it was something, now talk to me,” she said. “You think we’re not on the same side of this? There’s only the living and the dead, Daryl. There is no us versus the Saviors anymore.”

“Sure hasn’t felt like it. Especially today,” he said.

“Daryl,” she said patiently, shaking her head, “we can’t let the actions of a few idiots overshadow the effort and progress everyone else has been making.”

“We ain’t ever gonna be singin’ Kumbaya around the campfire, Anna. No matter what, they ain’t ever gonna be us,” he said, reaching into their tent and grabbing his crossbow before stalking off.

“Where are you going?” Anna called after him.

“Lumberyard,” he threw over his shoulder.

Anna let out a long breath and sat down in one of the chairs just outside their tent. She scratched the bridge of her nose, feeling a headache coming on. The sooner they got this damn bridge done, the better.

* * *

Anna lightly tapped Henry’s stick, knocking it to the side as he went to strike her. They had been sparring for almost an hour, taking periodic breaks. The boy was a bundle of energy, eager to learn from her. But she was, admittedly, distracted.

Since Daryl had gone to the lumberyard, Arat had gone with Rosita to blow the rockslide, and Rick had gone to deal with the dam. She had heard the distant explosion not long ago, and was certain the first siren would be going off soon for the redirect.

“Thanks for training with me,” Henry said, stepping back and dropping his stance.

“Of course, kid,” Anna said, doing the same.

“Ever since Morgan left and… my brother—” he paused. “I haven’t had anyone to show me.”

Anna pressed her lips together.

“You know quite a bit already,” Anna assured. “Soon, you’ll be showing other people how to use the stick.”

“You should come back to the Kingdom and teach the others,” he said, his face brightening.

“I’m not much of a teacher,” Anna muttered.

“But you’re the best with the stick—since Morgan, anyway,” he insisted.

“Guess there isn’t much competition,” Anna laughed, tapping him in the shoulder with the blunt end of her spear.

“Why’d you put that thing on your stick?” Henry asked, pointing at the spear head.

Anna glanced at it before looking back at him.

“Who is stronger? The one who knows only peace, or the one who chooses peace over the violence in their heart?” She asked.

Henry furrowed his brow, his eyes flicking between her and the spearhead. He opened his mouth to answer when Alden jogged up.

“Anna, I just heard back from Sanctuary about those walk offs,” he said.

“And?” Anna asked.

“They haven’t seen ‘em,” he said. “Not any of ‘em.”

“Shit,” she hissed. “Where’s Rick?”

“He’s at the dam,” Alden said.

“Okay, we should go talk to him,” Anna said. “Henry, keep training.”

With that, the two headed off for the dam. They spotted Rick talking on the walkie when Alden called out to him.

“Rick!”

“Tara, you got somethin’ to report?” He asked, starting toward them.

\-- _“Yeah. ‘Horatio’ just hit its mark, right on schedule,”_ \-- Tara said over the walkie.

“Okay. Let’s do this.”

\-- _“Copy that, Mother Goose. Piper One, crank it up.”_ \--

\-- _“Copy, Eye in the Sky. Piper One is a go,”_ \-- Jerry said from the other walkie.

Distantly, they could hear the siren of Piper One going off.

“Rick,” Anna said, calling his attention back to them.

“Anna asked me to check up on the Saviors who’ve gone AWOL,” Alden explained. “I just heard back from—”

“Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about that,” Rick said, holding up a hand to cut him off. “Just hold on. Tara, how’s it look?” He asked into the walkie.

\-- _“Yeah, we got ‘em. They’re turning.”_ \--

“Good. Keep an eye out for stragglers,” Rick instructed. “Let ‘em clear the camp, then fire up number two before they reach the lumber site.”

\-- _“Copy that. Piper Two, on my go.”_ \--

“What about those Saviors?” Rick asked.

“I just heard back from Sanctuary, and none of the guys who walked off made it back home,” Alden said.

“None of them?” Rick asked, incredulous.

“No,” Alden said.

“Some of them had families,” Anna added.

“One guy had a new kid,” Alden nodded. “There’s no way they just up and left them.”

\-- _“Piper Two, do you read?”_ \-- Tara called over the walkie.

“So, what do you think is going on?” Rick asked, looking between Alden and Anna.

“I don’t know, but the Sanctuary group’s gettin’ worried, and they’re the only ones here without guns, so…,” Alden trailed off.

“Yeah, well, we disarmed Sanctuary for a reason,” Rick said quickly.

\-- _“Piper Two, this is Eye in the Sky. Come in, please.”_ \-- Tara called again.

“There are more of them here than from anywhere else, and they’re scared,” Alden said. “If they wind up deciding they’re safer back home, this whole thing’s a wash.”

“Well, I’ll make sure they’re protected,” Rick insisted.

Anna shot him a look.

“Oh, so, they work for you and you protect them, huh?” Alden asked. “Who’s that sound like to you?”

\-- _“Piper Two, come in. Do you copy?”_ \-- Tara asked, panicked.

“Tara, what’s going on out there?” Rick asked.

\-- _“That second siren isn’t going off. If the herd isn’t pulled soon, they’re gonna run right into our crew.”_ \--

Anna’s heart dropped. Daryl was there.


	11. Chapter Ten

Anna raced through the trees, keeping her breathing as even as possible with the tightness in her chest. She readied her spear, launching herself over a fallen tree just before breaking the tree line with Rick and the others who had joined them in the rush to the lumberyard.

She immediately spotted Daryl helping Aaron walk toward the trees, walkers hot on their tail. The herd was already there, and one was reaching for Daryl. A small spear shot through the walker's skull, dropping it to the ground before it could take a bite out of Daryl’s shoulder. From the corner of her eye, Anna spotted Beatrice loading her speargun.

Anna rushed forward and around Daryl and Aaron, taking out the three closest walkers with her spear before turning back to the two.

“We’ve got this,” Rick called. “Get him back to camp.”

“On it,” Daryl said.

“I’ll cover you,” Anna said, following after him.

She took out a few more walkers before they made it to the trees and carried on to the camp without further incident. They paused briefly to tie a shirt around his injured arm, long enough for Anna to see that it was going to have to be amputated. All the while, Aaron cried out in pain.

Daryl led them to the medical tent where Enid met them, pulling aside the tent flap to let them in.

“Where’s Siddiq?” Daryl asked.

“He’s gone,” Anna said.

“It’s just me,” Enid added.

“It’s just you, then,” Daryl said.

Daryl untied the shirt, revealing the mangled arm.

“I have to amputate,” Enid said breathlessly.

“What?” Aaron asked, his voice breaking.

“There ain’t no other way?” Daryl asked as she ran to grab her tools.

“The only way to stop the bleeding is to amputate and cauterize the wound,” Enid explained.

“What?” Aaron asked again.

“Here,” Enid said, passing Daryl a tourniquet.

“Wait, wait,” Aaron pleaded as Daryl fixed it around Aaron’s bicep.

“You got something for the pain?” Daryl asked.

“It wouldn’t kick in fast enough,” Anna said. “We have to do this now.”

Aaron groaned, his teeth clenching as Daryl tightened the tourniquet.

“Sorry, man,” Daryl said.

“I need you to hold him down for me,” Enid said.

Daryl laid his arm across Aaron’s chest. Enid set her tools down on a stool beside the bed and picked up the first knife. She hesitated, looking to Aaron.

“You can do it,” he breathed. “Do it!”

Enid nodded and started her work. Aaron threw his head back, his screams of pain filling the tent until he passed out.

Enid asked Anna for the next knife before instructing her to ready the torch. Anna did as commanded and stood by, waiting to cauterize the stump. The moment they were ready, Anna lit the torch and held it to the open wound until it was sealed.

“I’ve got it from here,” Enid assured as Anna set the torch down.

Daryl stood back, dropping the tourniquet, his chest heaving as he stared at his unconscious friend.

“Daryl,” Anna started, but he turned and stormed out of the medical tent.

“I’ve got this. Go,” Enid said.

Anna nodded and followed after him as he headed for the ground control tent. He flung the flap aside and they walked in.

“And I don’t give a shit what you were trying—” Carol was saying when they entered.

“Who was supposed to turn that herd?” Daryl demanded.

Carol said nothing, but looked to Justin standing in the corner. Daryl wiped his face, approaching the man who held his hands out as if to calm Daryl.

“Hey, the walkie wasn’t charged,” Justin insisted.

“Bullshit,” Daryl snapped. “It’s a solar walkie. You didn’t think to check it?”

“It’s not my fault the radio’s a piece of shit,” Justin defended, only for Daryl to slam his fist against the man’s jaw, knocking him back so hard that he fell through the tent flap and stumbled off the platform it was situated on.

Daryl went after him. Anna and Carol followed just as Daryl picked up a cooking pot and whacked it across Justin’s face.

“Daryl, stop!” Anna said.

Daryl crouched over Justin, grabbing his shirt and slamming his fist into his face over and over again.

“Daryl,” Anna called, grabbing hold of Daryl’s arm as he reeled back to hit Justin again.

She had to plant her feet to keep him from swinging again. Daryl looked to her, his eyes wild and angry.

“Stop,” she said firmly.

He stood up and forced himself to take a breath.

“We’ll deal with him, but not like this,” Anna said.

“There’s only one way to deal with these assholes,” Daryl growled before stalking off.

* * *

* * *

Maggie stood on the balcony overlooking Hilltop. She watched as Earl fixed the broken plow from the museum, Timothy standing watch beside him with a gun. It had been over a month since she locked Earl up in the very cells he had built. In that time, she hadn’t let his wife, Tammy, see him until today. And it was today that Maggie decided to let him out under armed guard to work.

She heard a heavy sigh behind her and turned to see Michonne. Michonne came to stand beside her, and they looked over Hilltop together.

“You’ve done something amazing with this place,” Michonne praised. “And I didn’t come to say otherwise.”

“I know what you came to do,” Maggie said. “And I’ve thought about it. We can talk about common laws. But I’m not givin’ up the right to do what I think’s best for my people.”

“Neither will we,” Michonne agreed. “But I do think what is best for everyone will wind up being what’s best for Hilltop, too.”

“Maybe. I hope so,” Maggie said. “I asked Jesus to load up the food like we promised—all of it.”

Michonne looked to her, and Maggie smiled.

“Earl still owes us a debt, but he’ll pay it,” Maggie said, nodding to Earl at his blacksmith’s hut. “He’ll work under supervision, and a council will help me decide when it’s time for that to change. The plow will be fixed, and the fields will get planted.”

“I-if you don’t mind me asking, what changed?” Michonne asked.

“You know, my daddy drank,” Maggie began, and Michonne looked back at her confused. “He was a good man. And if he hadn’t been given a second chance, a lot of people would have been worse off for it.”

“I count myself as one of them,” Michonne said, nodding.

“But Gregory—he had chance after chance, and he wasted them all,” Maggie said firmly.

“Maggie…,” Michonne muttered.

“I don’t regret what I did, Michonne,” Maggie insisted. “Some people can be redeemed. But others can’t.”

With that, Maggie started inside, only for Michonne to call out.

“And who makes that decision?”

Maggie turned back to her.

“I guess that’s one of the things we’ll have to figure out,” Maggie said.

* * *

* * *

Anna walked through the camp, headed for the medical trailer. After ensuring Aaron would be all right, Anna made time to check on everyone else who had been at the lumberyard. Now that nighttime had come, she was headed back to check on the man. As she walked, she fell in step with Rick as he headed in the same direction, looking just about ready to head back to Alexandria.

“Are you sure you want to head out this late?” Anna asked.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” Rick assured.

Anna nodded, knowing she wasn’t going to convince him to stay till morning. They passed Justin, then.

“Hey, you need to keep your dog on his leash,” he sneered.

“Excuse me?” Anna asked, stopping in her tracks and turning to face him.

“You heard me,” he said, pausing to look back at her and Rick. “That bitch of yours damn near killed me over nothing.”

“Over nothing?” Anna asked, her voice low as she approached him. “Aaron lost his arm.”

“I’m not the one who cut it off,” he scoffed.

“It was a direct consequence of your inability to do your fucking job,” Anna hissed. “Or was something so damn simple just beyond your scope of comprehension?”

“The walkie was dead,” Justin defended.

“Then you should have charged it,” Anna said. “Doesn’t take a goddamn genius to figure that one out.”

“I don’t need to listen to this,” Justin said, about to turn away.

“Oh, you’re gonna listen to every word I say,” Anna said, her tone deadly.

He tensed and looked at her, and for a split second, she wished she were taller.

“I knew guys like you. Pieces of shit who thought the world owed them something and too busy blaming everyone else for their problems. That’s what's going to get you and everyone around you killed,” Anna said. “I gave you a chance not to be an asshole, and you threw that away. So, you pack your shit and you go back to Sanctuary first thing in the morning, and if I find out someone else got hurt because of your negligence, we’ll see who the real bitch is.”

“Wouldn’t stay if you begged me,” Justin said, hesitating a moment before flashing her a condescending smirk. “I’m not waiting till morning, either.”

“The sooner the better,” Anna said flippantly as he stalked off.

She turned back to Rick, who stared at her with his eyebrows raised in slight surprise.

“You good?” Rick asked.

“Better,” Anna said, and continued walking toward the medical tent.

They walked into the tent just as Enid was finishing up with Cyndie. In a chair beside Aaron was Daryl. Anna wondered how long he’d been sitting vigil over his friend. He looked over his shoulder at their entrance.

“Well done,” Rick praised Enid. “He’s gonna be alright?”

“Yeah,” Enid said. “If we can keep the wound from getting infected. But he’s still in a lot of pain.

“He’s holdin’ on, though,” Daryl said.

“Damn right I am,” Aaron said weakly, his breathing shallow and skin pale.

Daryl got up and allowed Rick to take his place as he went to stand beside Anna.

“I’m so sorry this happened to you,” Rick began. “We were all supposed to be working together. I thought we were.”

“You couldn’t have known,” Aaron assured.

Rick sighed and shook his head.

“I’ve been pushin’ everyone hard,” he said, glancing back at Daryl. “I know I have. I put this project first, and you paid the price.”

“It was worth it,” Aaron said. “When the dead started to rise, I thought I was seeing the end of everything. But you changed all that, Rick. It’s not the end of the world anymore. It’s the start of a whole new one.”

Daryl slipped his hand into Anna’s and gave it a squeeze. She gave him a small smile and a squeeze in return.

“I’ll always be glad I was here to be a part of that,” Aaron said.

* * *

Anna and Daryl set their stuff down in their tent, preparing for bed. Anna changed into a night shirt and a pair of shorts before she climbed into their sleeping bag bed and settled under the covers. She began to turn the engagement ring around her finger, watching it catch the light of the lantern.

“Eugene says we have six to nine days left to finish the bridge,” she said mildly.

“Good,” Daryl muttered, lying down beside her.

“We just have to wait that long before we can go,” she said.

“Unless there’s somethin’ else that keeps us here,” Daryl huffed.

“Not this time,” Anna said, shaking her head. “When the bridge is done, we’re done. We’ll leave and go to that cabin and we won’t come back if we don’t want to.”

Daryl looked to her with uncertainty.

“I promise. This is the last thing, and we’ll be there,” she said, smiling at him. “Just you and me.”

Daryl nodded, and turned out the lantern before slipping his hand into hers and giving it a squeeze.

“Just you and me,” he said quietly.

Anna smiled, closing her eyes. Today was a rough day to say the least, but everything was going to be okay.


	12. Chapter Eleven

For the most part, Maggie let the mules follow the road. They knew the way, having traveled along this road so many times. The trip to the camp was relatively boring and silent. Kal rode beside her, and he tried to strike up conversation, but it simply fell flat after a few minutes.

As she drove the cart along, she surveyed their surroundings, keeping an eye out for any threats. And threats she found as a man wielding an ax came out of the surrounding woods and into the road, followed by four others—one of which Maggie recognized as Anna’s prodigy, Arat.

She felt Kal shift beside her and knew he was drawing his gun as she pulled back on the reins to stop the mules.

“Idle down there Kemosabe,” the man said. “We’re all one big kumbaya now.”

“Why aren’t you at the bridge?” Maggie asked.

“We’re looking for a friend,” Arat explained. “He went missing last night.”

The first man started toward them.

“You know anything about that?” He asked.

“No. Just gettin’ here,” Maggie said impatiently.

He ran his hand down the left mule’s back as he neared.

“What you got in the bed?” He asked.

“Hilltop’s half of the deal for the ethanol,” Maggie said as he walked past her. “Shipment we never got.”

“Yeah, that went missing, too,” one of the other women said, walking over on her cane.

“Along with the people bringing it,” the first man said. “You know anything about that?”

“I wish I did. I want that fuel,” Maggie said, glaring at him as he flipped up the tarp to reveal the food they were carrying.

He picked out a bright red tomato and pulled the tarp back down. He leaned against the cart and held the tomato up.

“Just like you said,” he smirked, taking a bite out of the tomato.

“What’s your name?” Maggie asked, practically seething. “Mark you down for that.”

He looked at the tomato and sighed.

“My name’s Mud,” he said. “And you’re the Widow.”

“That’s Jed,” Arat called. “Mark him down for the tomato. Thanks for bringing it. We’re gonna make good on the fuel as soon as we can. Gotta go,” she said, directing her attention to the others. “Got to get back before the next shift.”

Jed took another bite of the tomato and hummed before nodding at Maggie and walking after his companions into the woods on the other side of the road. Once they were gone, Kal tucked his gun back into its holster.

“I can’t believe we’re working with those assholes,” he grumbled.

“We’re givin’ it a chance,” Maggie huffed before clicking her tongue and whipping the reins to get the mules started again.

“Hey, hold up,” Kal said, pointing off to the left.

She followed his finger to see another man walking out of the woods. She pulled them to a stop and they climbed off the cart. She drew her knife, realizing the man was stumbling and covered in blood as they grew closer, and he turned toward them. Together, they put the walker down quickly.

“He hasn’t been dead that long,” Maggie said, staring down at him.

“You think he’s from the camp?”

Maggie’s eyes ran over him, seeing a lot of chewed up bits and a hole in his chest.

“I think we found their friend.”

* * *

* * *

Anna looked down at the cold, lifeless face of Justin as he laid in the back of the cart, blood smeared across his skin and a puncture hole in his chest. Her worst fears of the disappearing Saviors were confirmed. They were being murdered.

She had sent Alden to radio Rick immediately, but there was no hiding Justin’s death from the camp. Now the whole camp was gathered, indistinctly shouting at each other.

“Guess they’re gonna execute every last one of us!” Jed yelled over the crowd. “Just like Justin!”

“Not if we have guns, too,” Regina said.

Laura and Arat stood beside Anna, looking into the bed of the cart.

“We need to calm this down before it gets out of hand,” Anna said.

The two women nodded and went to the Saviors, calling for them to break it up when Saviors began to cross the space between them and the rest of the camp, only to be thrown back.

“Back off!” Someone snapped as the space closed.

Anna forced herself between the crowd, shoving people apart as Alden joined her.

“Stop this shit!” Alden yelled.

“Back up,” Anna said, holding her arms out on either side of her to keep a Savior and a Kingdomer apart.

“Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!” Alden shouted, and the crowd broke apart. “We’re gonna find out who did this, and we’re gonna make sure it never happens to us again, all right?”

“‘Us’?” Jed scoffed. “You’re not one of us, anymore.”

“‘Us’ means all of us,” Alden said firmly, turning back to the others only for Jed to turn him back around to punch him in the face.

“Go shovel that horse shit to whoever killed Justin!” Jed sneered, going to punch him again. Carol appeared, putting her hand on his chest to hold him back, her other hand on her gun. “I thought you were supposed to be our leader,” Jed said.

“Enough,” Carol huffed. “Turn around, all of you.”

“No can do, Cee,” Jed said. “Why don’t you go ahead and yank that roscoe, pop me right here? It’s better than worrying about gettin’ it in the back.”

Carol pulled her gun, and the rest of the armed communities did the same; the Saviors backed up nervously. Anna stepped forward, putting herself between Carol and Jed.

“That’s enough, Jed. Back off,” she said.

“And what about you? Thought you were on our side,” he said.

She was about to say there were no sides when Arat stepped forward.

“We don’t want this. Okay? We just need to protect ourselves,” Arat said.

“No guns!”

Everyone turned to see Daryl standing on the platform, crossbow in hand.

“That ‘cause you’re the one took out Justin?” D.J. asked.

“Nah, my money’s on garbage lady,” another Savior said.

“Revenge for Simon’s play, sure,” Regina said, nodding.

“No,” D.J. said. “It’s him. Finishing what he started.”

D.J. walked over and grabbed an ax, followed by the other Savior. Arat rushed over, holding him back.

“Hey, stop. It’s gonna go too far,” she warned.

“Nah. It won’t,” Daryl assured, aiming his crossbow.

“Maybe it’s both of them,” D.J. suggested, brushing past Arat. “Come on.”

He and the other Saviors started toward Anne, and Gabriel stepped in front of her, machete out. Anna moved to stand beside him when a horse whinnied and Rick rushed in.

“Everyone back off! Right now,” he ordered.

Arat and Laura took the axes away from D.J. and Jed.

“All right, we are not doing this,” Laura said. “Let it go.”

“I’ll talk to Rick,” Alden said. “I’ll try and find a way to make everybody feel safe, all right?”

Jed took a step forward, but looked to Rick still pacing back and forth on his horse before shaking his head with an annoyed smirk and walking off with the others.

“Start the redirect,” Rick instructed. “Pair off to work the grid.”

The rest of the camp dispersed, and Rick climbed off his horse, approaching Gabriel.

“Anne’s been one of us for a while now, but I gotta ask—you know where she was last night?” He asked.

“On watch, with me,” Gabriel said.

“You stayed all night?” Anna asked.

“I did,” Gabriel assured.

“Well, keep an eye on her. Even if she doesn’t have anything to do with it, some of them think she does. And who knows what might happen,” Rick said. “Either way, I need someone I trust lookin’ out.”

Gabriel nodded, and Rick gestured for Anna to follow him.

“Hey,” Alden said as he walked up to them. “Thanks for that. You thought about what I asked? Couple guns or the right people might calm things down.”

“Or make things worse,” Rick sighed. “And it wouldn’t have helped Justin. No way I would’ve let him near one.”

“What about Arat and Laura?” Anna asked.

“No guns for any of them,” Maggie said, appearing beside Alden. “That wasn’t part of the deal.”

“You trust me, don’t you?” Alden asked. “How about trusting a few other people who’ve made a change?”

“First, we try to figure out what’s happening, who killed Justin,” Rick said. “If we can, then I’ll think about it.”

“Okay,” Alden said, heading off.

“Is that true?” Maggie asked, walking with Anna and Rick to the cart.

“It’s not what I want,” Rick said. “But your deal’s made the Sanctuary the majority of the workforce. They’re rebuilding this bridge for all of us, so isn’t it on us to keep them safe?”

Maggie reluctantly nodded, pressing her lips together.

“Who do we think did this?” Maggie asked.

Rick leaned over the side of the cart to get a better look at Justin before he looked up across the camp. Anna followed his gaze to Daryl walking toward the wood pile, crossbow in hand.

She looked to Rick.

“I was with him all night,” Anna said quickly.

“I’m gonna talk to him, just to cover our bases,” Rick said.

“It wasn’t him,” Anna insisted.

“It’s just for appearances,” Rick assured.

Anna ground her teeth but nodded, and Rick made his way over to Daryl.

* * *

* * *

Daryl sat on the stump sharpening his knife as Rick walked up to him, sitting down on the other stump.

“Go ahead. Ask,” Daryl said, casting him a glance before looking back to his knife.

“That wound on Justin… looks like a puncture,” Rick began. “I wondered if it could be from a knife, but it’s small, round, and clean. Smaller and cleaner than a bullet hole.”

Daryl paused in his sharpening and looked at Rick again.

“It kind of looks like an arrow hit him. Or a bolt,” Rick said.

“Is this the kind of shit you used to do?” Daryl asked, his lip curling in irritation.

“When I had to,” Rick nodded.

“You really think I did it?” he asked.

“No. But others do,” Rick said. “So, I’m making sure.”

“If I’d have killed him, I’d have killed him in plain sight,” Daryl said. “I don’t know who it is, but I know why, and so do you. Bringing all these people together, it was always gonna happen.”

“No,” Rick said, shaking his head. “It’s the right thing to do. The future belongs to all of us, now.”

“Why do they get this future?” Daryl asked. “And Glenn don’t? Or Abraham? Or Sasha? All the people the Kingdom lost… Hilltop… Oceanside? You ever think about what they want? What they’d do if they could?”

“Yeah, I do,” Rick said. “I have. For a long time, I wanted it, too, maybe more than anyone.”

Daryl scoffed.

“But killing each other when the world already belongs to the dead?” Rick went on, ignoring the obvious attitude. “It’s not the way, not anymore.”

Daryl tapped his fingers and gathered his knife into one hand, reaching behind him to grab his crossbow with the other as he stood.

“We should go work that grid,” he said, starting toward the trees.

“Daryl, I know you don’t agree with everything we’re doing here,” Rick said, and he paused. “All I ask—all Anna asks—is that you try. Do it. Let people see it. And maybe everyone moves past what’s happened to what could happen and maybe, just maybe, it’d be one of the best decisions you ever made.” He took a step forward. “Like not killing a guy who left your brother on a rooftop to die.”

With that, Rick walked away, leaving Daryl alone to consider his words.

* * *

* * *

They had paired off into five teams of two with Daryl and Anna in Grid Two together, walking through the woods. They were out searching for clues as to where Justin had been killed, and maybe—if they were lucky—they’d find the other missing Saviors.

\-- _“Call it out,”_ \-- Rick said over the walkie.

\-- _“Grid One, clear so far,”_ \-- Jerry said.

“Grid Two’s clear,” Daryl said in the walkie.

\-- _“Three is clear,”_ \-- Rick said,

\-- _“Grid Four is clear,”_ \-- said Maggie

\-- _“Grid Five clear,”_ \-- came Arat.

\-- _“Piper One, anything up top?”_ \-- Rick asked.

\-- _“We’re good. Nothing moving our way,”_ \-- said Dianne.

\-- _“Stay sharp, eyes open. We still got missing people out here.”_ \--

\-- _“Got activity nearby,”_ \-- Maggie called. -- _“Gonna go check it out.”_ \--

\-- _“We’re headed your way. Grid Five do the same.”_ \-- Rick said.

Daryl and Anna started making their way there.

“I know you didn’t do it,” Anna said suddenly.

“Glad to hear it,” Daryl said sarcastically.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

“I just wish we knew who was doing this,” she said.

“If we find out, what then?” He asked.

“The Saviors want justice,” she said simply.

“Not like the guy didn’t deserve it,” Daryl huffed.

“Deserved it or not, we can’t just go around killing people,” Anna said firmly. “I get it, though. Dan was one thing—Johnny wasn’t a soldier. But all of the Saviors who went missing were. This is revenge.”

“Got a lot of people wantin’ that around here,” Daryl said.

“Which makes this so difficult,” Anna nodded.

“Maybe,” Daryl shrugged.

Anna was about to say something when they heard a scream of surprise. They ran forward, breaking through the tree line, where they saw a small, rundown cottage in the middle of a field. There was a struggle happening on the covered porch, and Anna recognized Maggie at the front door, putting down several walkers. At one end, Cyndie was trying to hold off another walker.

“Come on,” Anna called, and the two ran forward.

Daryl paused briefly to fire a bolt into the walker on Cyndie just before Rick and Rosita joined them, and they all reached the porch. Anna ran up the front steps and stared down at the pile of bodies on the floor, then looked to Maggie.

“Are you all right?” Anna asked.

“Yeah,” Maggie assured, breathing heavily as she brushed her hair from her face.

“You all right?” Anna asked, looking to Cyndie, who held her bandaged hand.

“Yeah, just opened it back up,” Cyndie said.

Maggie walked over, taking a pitchfork and knocking down a piece of metal from the roof.

“What happened to Grid Five?” Rosita asked. “Should’ve been here before us.”

Anna frowned, looking around the field for Beatrice and Arat as Rick pulled out his walkie.

“Grid Five, what’s your status?” He asked.

There was no answer.

* * *

The group made their way to Grid Five, Anna leading the way out of worry. When they got to the area, they found Beatrice lying unconscious on the ground. Cyndie ran past Anna to check Bea’s pulse.

“Bea. Bea, wake up,” Cyndie said, gently shaking her friend.

Bea groaned and slowly pushed herself up, staring around at them in confusion as she rubbed at the back of her head.

“You okay?” Rick asked, kneeling beside them.

“Yeah,” Bea assured weakly. “Yeah, I think so.”

“What happened?” Rick asked gently.

Anna immediately started surveying the area for clues.

“I don’t know,” Bea said. “Arat called in the all clear, and we headed towards the road, and then… I don’t know, I think something hit me from behind.”

“And Arat?” Anna asked, turning to face them.

“I don’t know,” Bea said, looking between them before Cyndie helped her to her feet and Daryl handed back her speargun. “Thanks.”

Maggie walked up, holding up the walkie and Arat’s knife.

“Whoever did this took her,” she said.


	13. Chapter Twelve

“We need to find her,” Anna said, arms crossed over her chest as she stared at the map on the table.

“Do the Saviors know?” Cyndie asked.

“Not yet,” Carol said. “They think Arat’s on watch through the night. Come morning, they will.”

“She could be dead already,” Maggie said.

“If we don’t figure out what happened, Sanctuary is gone,” Carol warned.

“If that happens, we won’t finish the work before the water rises,” Rick said. “We’ll lose the bridge.”

“Yo,” Jerry called hesitantly, raising his hand. “Say we nab the perp. Then what? Who decides what happens next? Is it—is it gonna be a ‘Gregory’ or… a ‘Negan’?”

Rick looked between Anna and Maggie.

“Well, whoever it is,” Cyndie began, “when the time comes, they’ll get what they deserve.”

“Pair up with someone you trust,” Rick instructed. “We’re out there till we find her.”

Everyone started out of the tent, but Rick called for Anna to wait.

“I know you’re worried about Arat,” he said, hands on his hips. “But I think it’d be best if you stayed at the camp.”

“Are you serious? We need all the eyes out there that we can get.”

“I need someone who doesn’t hate the Saviors makin’ sure nothing else happens here,” he insisted.

“Carol doesn’t hate the Saviors,” Anna pointed out.

“Carol’s going with me,” Rick said.

“But—”

“Anna, please,” he implored. “The Saviors trust you more than anyone else. Everything you’ve done for them, everything you’re still doing. It needs to be you.”

Anna grimaced.

“Fine,” she said, nodding reluctantly. “Find her.”

Rick nodded and headed out of the tent, leaving Anna alone.

* * *

* * *

Rick walked with Carol through the woods, their eyes scanning their surroundings for any signs of Arat or who had taken her.

“I knew it’d be hard, but with all this?” Rick sighed. “Should the Saviors be a part of this?”

“It’s not your choice, or Anna’s, or mine. They just have to want it like the rest of us,” Carol said before she stopped them. “Today, I saw it starting again, and I just wanted to pull that trigger. End it before it begins. ‘Cause if we don’t find Arat, we’re gonna have a fight whether we want it or not.”

“No,” Rick said. “I won’t let it come to that. I can’t.”

She gave him a look, as if to say he may not have a choice.

“Every day since I put Negan in that cell…” Rick began and they continued walking. “I have this moment, usually right when I wake up, this feeling… that I should… go down there and kill him. To keep going, finish them all. And in that moment, it’s all I want. But then I remember everyone we’ve lost—not just to the Saviors,” he said, shaking his head. “But the whole way. And I know I need to honor them. To build life, not—not take it. Because it’s us or the dead. And every life counts now.”

* * *

* * *

“You good with this?” Daryl asked as he and Maggie turned around a bush. “Or you just playin’ nice for Rick?”

“I’m not sure,” she admitted.

“Yeah, me neither,” he said.

It was the same for him, but he had Anna to worry about, too. She had asked him to try, and he’d done his best at the Sanctuary. But he just couldn’t see how she could co-exist with the Saviors, or trust them at all.

“Part of me wishes I could see things his and Anna’s way,” she said, “look forward and not back. Every time I look at Hershel, I think about how things could’ve been. And I can’t let that go.”

“You don’t have to,” Daryl said. “I haven’t.”

Maggie stopped and turned to him.

“What Rick, Michonne, and Anna are doing is right for the future,” Maggie insisted. “It’s better for Hershel.”

A growl called their attention. Daryl raised his crossbow and moved forward, Maggie following with her knife. They spotted two walkers, one laying on its back, a small spear in its chest and another crawling along the ground. Daryl lowered his bow.

“I’ll get it,” Maggie said, starting toward it.

“All right,” Daryl shrugged.

As she put the walker down, Daryl approached the first corpse and pulled the small spear out. He examined it and the puncture hole in the walkers’ chest and a lot of things started to click into place.

“I know who took Arat.”

* * *

* * *

Anna sat in front of the fire, Emma sitting beside her. The sun was going down and dinner was being served as idle conversation drifted through camp. Everyone was calm—but for how long?

“Do you think they’ll be back tonight?” Emma asked in a hushed voice.

“I hope so,” Anna sighed.

“I know that sometimes I can seem overly optimistic to some people,” Emma said. “I’m not. I’m a realist. I know you’re worried about her, and the rest of them out there. Anna... I don’t know if they’ll find her. This isn’t like the situation with Henry, so I’m not going to give you false hope. But whatever happens, I just want you to know that I’m here.”

“Thank you,” Anna said, giving her friend a weak smile before shaking her head. “We shouldn’t talk about that, though. Not here.”

Emma gave a tight nod, glancing around at a few others spaced around the fire, including Jessie and Rosita, who were sitting rather close together. Emma tilted her chin in their direction.

“Maybe they’ll be the next ones to get married.”

“Maybe,” Anna said, grinning. “They both deserve to be happy. And so do you—how’s that whole Dean thing going?”

Emma gave an embarrassed laugh, covering her mouth as her cheeks tinted red.

“I’m still getting used to it. I know we have to allow ourselves any bit of happiness we can find.” Her face turned serious as she added, “It’s just scary, sometimes.”

“Yeah,” Anna said, her mind wandering. “I was pretty terrified to be friends with you, after everything—after Glenn and Marley, I was scared it was just going to be a repeat. But that’s just a chance we have to take sometimes. Even with all the pain and the bullshit, I wouldn’t trade any of the time I had with the people I love,” she said. “Not for a damn thing.”

“I wouldn’t, either, even if it was and still is scary getting close to you—same with Dean. But you know, I’ve seen this world tear people apart, and I’ve seen it bring people back together,” Emma said. “I think maybe the silver lining of it all is that living through this has made us cherish what we have more than we ever could have before.”

“You may be right,” Anna said, her mind wandering to that night at the prison.

_“I ain’t goin’ anywhere. Unless you want me to.”_

_She shook her head. “No.” Anna stepped towards him, closing the distance between them so that they were mere inches apart. “I want you to stay.”_

She had been so scared to let Daryl close, to let herself feel anything after… everything. But she’d found the strength to do it, with him. A smile spread across her face as she remembered the feeling of his arms around her. Of all the moments, she cherished that one the most.

* * *

* * *

It was dark now, and yet Rick and Carol continued to search, flashlights guiding their way through the woods. They heard the sound of a walker growling and went to investigate, wanting to be sure it wasn’t Arat. Rick gave her a single nod, and they separated.

Rick made his way through the brush until he came upon the creature, a male, and put it down just before he heard Carol cry out. He rushed over, pulling his Colt Python to see a man holding a knife to her neck.

“Drop it,” Rick ordered. “Don’t,” he warned, aiming at the second man he saw in his peripheral.

“Solid advice,” the first man said, and he recognized him as Jed. “You should take it. No way you get me before I open her up. Ain’t that right, boss lady?”

“You killed the others?” Rick asked.

“Is that what you think?” Jed huffed. “Shit, man, you got no damn clue. We’re not killing anybody. Unless we have to. This?” He said, raising his knife a little up Carol’s neck. “This is about the guns. And seeing as how we’re being hunted and all, maybe it won’t come as a big bombshell that we’re vamoosing out of your little pet project. We don’t need a babysitter. We just need a little protection for our trip home.”

“It doesn’t have to be this way,” Rick said.

“Talk time is up. Toss D.J. your gun. We’ll let you walk, and we’ll be on our merry way,” Jed said, but Rick didn’t move. “You know, over and over, I heard you yapping about how every life counts, and, man, I got to tell you, I’m right there with you. But if you don’t give up that gun…” he pressed his knife harder into Carol’s neck. “Her life ain’t gonna count for shit for too much longer.”

“You do this… there’s no going back,” Rick warned. “Everything we’re doing, it ends.”

“Ended with Justin,” Jed snapped. “There’s no going back from that. Not for us.”

“It’s over,” Carol ground out, and Rick saw the knife in her hand.

He sighed.

“It’s over,” he said, lowering his gun.

Jed removed his knife from Carol’s neck to point it at Rick; Carol shoved his arm away and whirled around, slamming her knife into his shoulder. He cried out in pain and she pushed him to the ground.

“Down. Now,” Rick commanded, aiming at D.J.

D.J. did as he was told, and Rick walked over to Jed.

“Keep pressure on it,” Rick said. “We’ll get to camp, fix you up.”

“Why not just take me out?” Jed asked, holding his shoulder as he looked to Carol.

“‘Cause, every life counts,” Carol said.

* * *

* * *

Daryl and Maggie walked over the fallen gate, street signs crunching beneath their boots.

“So, how do you know about this place?” He asked, looking up at the red brick school.

“I think it’s where they lived before,” Maggie said. “It’s what I’d do.”

Daryl grimaced before the beam of his flashlight found a couple of silver cans.

“Hey,” he said, gesturing to the cans.

They walked over to investigate, seeing _EtOH_ written on the sides. It was the missing fuel from Sanctuary. Daryl's stomach twisted.

“Beg.”

They looked to each other briefly before Daryl readied his crossbow, and they moved around the building to see the Oceanside women standing beneath an awning, Cyndie holding a gun to the back of Arat’s head.

“Beg, like you made them beg,” Cyndie hissed.

“Drop it,” Daryl ordered as they approached.

Beatrice aimed her speargun, and Cyndie lowered the gun.

“Bea, it’s okay,” Cyndie said, but Beatrice kept her speargun aimed.

“You took out Justin with that thing?” Daryl asked.

“He killed my husband.”

Daryl lowered his crossbow, and Beatrice lowered her speargun.

“Daryl, please,” Arat said, turning to them, tears in her eyes.

“They got a reason?” Daryl asked.

“We’ve all done things,” Arat said—similar to what Anna tended to say.

“People will find out,” Maggie warned.

“She’s the last one,” Cyndie said. “After this, it’s over.”

“Maybe for you. But it won’t be,” Maggie said. “With something like this, it keeps going.”

“This was our home,” Cyndie said, her voice trembling. “My mother and my grandmother found this place for the group. There were so many of us then. Men and women… kids. My mom and I built a garden. Me and my brother used to play right here,” she said, her voice breaking. “But then the Saviors came. And Simon wanted what we had. He gave us our final warning. Afterward, we ran. And we tried to forget. But, then, your people came and asked us to fight. We did because we couldn’t forget.”

Daryl shifted on his feet. How could anyone forget?

“After Rick ended it, we went along because we didn’t think we had a choice. Until you hung Gregory,” Cyndie said. “That’s when we knew. Rick’s rules aren’t the only rules. You showed us the way. It was time.”

“You did this… because of me?” Maggie asked.

“They murdered… my mother. She shot my brother right here,” Cyndie cried. “And they took everything because they could.”

“Please,” Arat implored. “It’s not like that anymore, okay? I’m—I’m one of you now.”

“Did you do it?” Maggie asked.

“Simon would’ve killed me, too!” Arat reasoned.

“You asked me to beg for his life!” Cyndie snapped. “He was crying, and you smiled! I told you I loved him. I needed him! He was only eleven years old. And what did you say?”

“I—I don’t remember,” Arat said, shaking her head as a tear fell down her cheek.

“Say it!” Cyndie yelled.

“Please!” Arat begged.

“What did you say?” Maggie asked.

Arat took a deep, shuddering breath, bowing her head.

“No exceptions.”

Daryl looked to Maggie. In silent agreement, they turned their backs on the scene and began to walk away.

“No. Daryl, Maggie!” Arat called after them. “Daryl, you can’t do this! I’ve changed!”

They kept walking, even when the sound of her sobs abruptly cut off.

* * *

It was morning by the time Daryl and Maggie reached the road back to the camp. He carried the EtOH in each hand. Maggie paused.

“Right after, we agreed we’d wait,” she said.

“Yeah, we did,” Daryl said, looking each way down the road.

“Cyndie said I showed them the way,” Maggie said, stepping out onto the road. “She did the same thing for me. We gave Rick and Anna’s way a chance.”

He looked to her, clenching his jaw, but nodded.

“It’s time to see Negan,” Maggie said firmly.


	14. Chapter Thirteen

Anna sat in the chair across from Daryl, tying her boot as he ate an apple. They were quiet. He had returned early in the morning with nothing on Arat. But given how long it had been since her disappearance, she was sure the woman was dead. Anna considered going to try to find her body, but she had no idea where to even start looking.

And it didn’t seem to matter to anyone else. The Saviors had already headed back to Sanctuary, after finding out about Arat. The progress Anna had made with them just wasn’t enough for them to stay.

“I’m sorry about Arat,” Daryl said.

“Me, too,” Anna sighed. “She had come so far. And for what?”

“Sometimes, people just can’t let go of the things that happened,” Daryl said, cutting a piece off the apple and popping it into his mouth.

Anna frowned, shaking her head. She couldn’t help but feel as though she had failed.

“It’s over now, I guess,” she said. “Sanctuary’s gone, the dam’s gone, the bridge will be gone soon, too.”

“Guess this means we get to leave sooner than expected,” Daryl pointed out.

“Yeah,” Anna said, a small smile playing at her lips.

_The one good thing to come of this unexpected end._

“Not only for the camp’s safety, but because, once merged, neither Tordelia nor Cordalt had a particularly good ring to them,” Eugene said as he and Rick walked past.

They paused, and Rick looked to him, confused.

“The herd monikers are from the great book… of plays,” Eugene explained. “They’re a starter set of dead Shakespearean characters courtesy of Anna and Emma. Needed an endless pool.”

“Thanks, Eugene,” Rick said after a moment before he started to walk away.

“I am truly very sorry I didn’t do more,” Eugene called, stopping Rick. “Maybe if I’d just, well, read more books—engineering, motivational, or otherwise—maybe we would’ve—maybe we could’ve—”

“Don’t do that,” Rick said, stepping back to him.

“What?” Eugene asked.

“You’re not just a guy who read some books,” Rick said. “You made somethin’. You got us here. After everything…” Rick said, setting a hand on Eugene’s shoulder. “That’s everything.”

Anna watched Rick walk away, and then she stood.

“Where ya goin’?” Daryl asked.

“I need to talk to Rick,” Anna said, heading after the man.

He entered ground control and, as she neared, she heard talking within. She paused, not wanting to interrupt. After a few minutes, Carol walked out.

“I’m heading back to the Kingdom today,” Carol said when she saw Anna.

Anna nodded, and Carol continued on before Anna walked into the tent to find Rick sitting at the table.

“Hey,” Anna said.

“Hey,” Rick replied, wiping his hand down his face.

She sat down across from him and picked up the thick book resting between them.

_A Key to The Future_.

“I wanted it to work,” Anna said.

“Me, too,” Rick said, nodding. “It still could—we just need more time, more people. Maybe we could convince the Saviors to come back.”

“After Arat…,” Anna said, shaking her head. “They aren’t coming back. I just—” Anna took a breath. “I just wish I had done more.”

“Hey,” Rick said, reaching out and touching her arm. “You did better with the Saviors than anybody else could have.”

Anna gave him a weak smile, brushing the hair from her face.

“What happened with the Saviors—as much as I wish I could’ve done more, there wasn’t anything more I could have done,” Anna said. “I know it wasn’t my fault.”

“I thought maybe the idea of a better future would be enough to get everyone to put the past aside,” Rick said.

“‘Often we mistake grief for anger, and respond accordingly’,” she said. “There was just too much of that grief. Look, I got to choose with Isaac. The others were told they had to set it all aside. Maybe whoever killed Arat and Justin—maybe they tried. And maybe they finally decided they couldn’t live with it.”

“You told me before that you thought my decision was right,” Rick said.

“I still believe that,” Anna assured. “But you made a decision that wasn’t yours to make alone. Negan deserved to die when you ended it, but you let him live. Now he’s rotting in a cell, and maybe that’s worse than dying, but the others—they don’t see it.”

“So, you think I should just kill him?” Rick asked.

“No,” Anna said, shaking her head. “No, killing him at this point would do more harm than good. It would give the people still loyal to him a reason to fight, and a way to sway others to their side.”

“A martyr,” Rick said, bowing his head.

“Exactly.”

“Consequences of our action and inaction, right?” He asked, giving her a disheartened smile.

“Yeah,” Anna said, tapping her finger against the book in her hand. “The future is still there, though, Rick. We can’t give up on it.”

“We won’t,” Rick nodded.

A horse whinnied outside, calling their attention. Rick got up first, and Anna followed him out of the tent to see Jerry astride his horse.

“Got somethin’ for ya, _Jefe_ ,” Jerry said.

“What is it?” Rick asked.

“Maggie’s running down to Alexandria. Jesus thought you should know pronto,” Jerry explained.

“When did she leave?” Anna asked, worry in her chest.

“Dunno,” Jerry shrugged. “Call just came in from the Hilltop relay.”

“Did he say anything else?” Rick asked.

“Just that you’d know what that means,” Jerry said, unsure. “Sorry, man. That’s all I got.”

“No, no. Thanks, Jerry,” Rick said, waving the man off as he turned his horse to put it up.

“If she’s going to Alexandria—” Anna started.

“Yeah,” Rick said uneasily as he pulled out his long-range walkie. “Alexandria Relay One, this is Rick Grimes. Come in, please,” he said as they started toward the horses.

\-- _“Go for AR One,”_ \-- came a young voice—Rachel, Cyndie’s little sister.

“AR One, I need you to get an urgent message to Alexandria,” Rick said. “If Maggie Rhee shows up, delay her at the gate and alert Michonne right away. Do not—repeat—do not let her in without an escort. Over.”

\-- _“Copy that, Rick. Will relay your message right now. Over”_ \--

“And Maggie, if you’re listening… let’s talk,” Rick said before clipping the walkie back to his belt.

“Hey,” Daryl called, walking over. “What’s goin’ on?”

“Maggie’s headed to Alexandria,” Rick said. “She’s about to do somethin’ she might regret.”

“Hop on,” Daryl said after a moment. “I’ll take you.”

“You sure?” Rick asked. “You got enough fuel?”

“Yeah,” Daryl assured. “We’ll get there quicker,” he said, slapping Rick on the shoulder as he passed.

Anna frowned as he hopped on his bike. She walked over to him, knowing they didn’t have much time.

“Be careful,” she said, squeezing his arm in her hand.

A smirk played at Daryl’s lips as Rick climbed on behind him and he revved his engine.

“Be back for dinner,” he said before they sped off down the road.

* * *

* * *

The handles vibrated in Daryl’s hands as he and Rick sped down the dirt road away from the camp. He knew this was going to be difficult, but it was the only way to end it. Maggie had to do this. He reached the crossroad, and the turnoff to Alexandria, but continued straight.

“That was the way back there,” Rick said over the engine.

Daryl said nothing, and didn’t stop

“Pull over,” Rick demanded. “Pull over!”

Daryl skidded to a halt, and they jumped off the bike; he dropped it to the ground.

“What is this?” Rick asked as Daryl rounded the bike.

“You know exactly what this is,” Daryl snapped, pointing at him.

“I already called it in,” Rick said. “Maggie’s not makin’ it through those gates.”

“Yeah, that message didn’t go through,” Daryl said.

“You messed with the relay?” Rick asked, narrowing his eyes.

“This time, man, it’s gonna go the way it was supposed to,” Daryl sneered.

Rick grimaced at him and pulled the walkie from his belt, only for Daryl to lunge forward and slap it from his hand and shove Rick back. They tripped over the bike and tumbled down the incline off the road, grunting and rolling over each other until they plummeted off an edge and hit the ground hard.

Daryl groaned as he sat up, looking up to see they’d fallen in some kind of sinkhole. He shook his head and got to his feet.

“Those roots… they’re the only way we’re gettin’ out,” Rick said.

“Too high up,” Daryl pointed out, just before Rick ran at the wall and tried to jump up it.

Rick grabbed for the lowest root hanging, only to crumple to the ground as it broke.

“God damn it!” Rick snapped, throwing the root. “You set that up, too?” Rick asked.

“Man, you really layin’ this on me?” Daryl huffed, looking between Rick and the opening to the hole. “You’re the one that had to go chasin’ after her. Couldn’t just let things be, huh?”

“You know what keepin’ Negan alive means to us,” Rick said.

“I know what seein’ him dead means to her,” Daryl challenged.

“Daryl, I get why she can’t accept it, I do,” Rick sighed.

“Do you?” Daryl scoffed.

“Her never coming to Alexandria, her hanging Gregory the way she did? I know. I’m not blind,” Rick said, moving around to get in Daryl’s face before turning away.

“Well, you sure as hell been actin’ like it,” Daryl said, his lip curling in irritation. “Man, your ass wouldn’t even be alive if it wasn’t for Glenn.” Rick looked to him. “You wouldn’t have found Lori, you wouldn’t have found Carl, and you sure as fuck wouldn’t have found any of us,” Daryl ground out. “He did that. Or did you forget?”

“Of course not,” Rick said. “I think about it every damn day. And Maggie, I hate what I did to her, what I took from her, but it’s what I had to do.”

“She’s doing what she has to do,” Daryl shot back.

“What? You’re okay with that?” Rick asked.

“Why the hell wouldn’t I be?” Daryl shouted.

“You spared Dwight,” Rick pointed out. “After Denise, after what he did to you.”

“What do you mean? Lockin’ me in a damn closet?” Daryl scoffed. “Paradin’ me around so I couldn’t say nothin’? Man, you got that guy sittin’ in a cell like a damn symbol to all them assholes who can’t wait to see things go back to the way that they were.”

“Keepin’ him alive is how we make sure it won’t,” Rick said, raising his voice.

“No,” Daryl said patiently. “Keepin’ him alive is givin’ ‘em hope that it will.”

Rick shook his head and looked away.

“Michonne talked to her. She came to camp. She was comin’ around,” Rick said.

“Yeah, well, she was tryin’,” Daryl said. “The truth is, she just couldn’t live with it. Just like Oceanside.”

Rick slowly turned and looked at him.

“Oceanside?” He asked. “You sayin’ Oceanside killed those Saviors? Arat?”

“I’m sayin’ they got what they deserved,” Daryl nodded.

“You knew, and you didn’t say anything?” Rick asked. “To me? To Anna?”

His gut twisted. He hated that he’d kept it from Anna.

“Truth is, I couldn’t live with it, either,” Daryl said.

“If this doesn’t work, if she kills Negan, he becomes a martyr,” Rick said, his voice raising in pitch. “The war was for nothing. Every person who died, died for nothing.” He exhaled sharply, attempting to hold back his tears. “Carl—Carl died for nothing,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“What about the rest of us?” Daryl asked. “You don’t think after all the shit we’ve been through we couldn’t handle it? Man, you keep askin’ us to have faith in all these other people. Truth is, you don’t have enough faith in us.”

“You know that’s—that’s not true,” Rick insisted, shaking his head.

“I’d die for you,” Daryl said. “And I would’ve died for Carl. You know that. But you gotta hear me. You’re chasin’ somethin’ for him that ain’t meant to be, man. You just gotta let him go. Let him go.”

Rick bowed his head.

“I never—I never asked anyone to follow me,” he said softly.

“I know,” Daryl said. “I know. But maybe you should’ve.”

* * *

* * *

Maggie made her way down the main street of Alexandria, gripping the crowbar in her hand. As she neared her destination, she paused. Michonne stood in the lowered alcove, blocking her way to the door, sword at her side. She made her way down the steps to the lower level, not taking her eyes off the woman.

“Maggie?” Michonne asked.

“Get out of my way,” Maggie said, uninterested in talking.

“You’re willing to turn this into something else?” Michonne asked. “For him?”

“Not for him. For me,” Maggie said, shaking her head. “For others. For Glenn. Negan should’ve died under that tree.”

“But he didn’t die, Maggie,” Michonne said quickly. “It’s done.”

“Because Rick decided it was?” Maggie snapped, taking a step forward.

Michonne straightened.

“Step… back,” she said, seeming exhausted.

“You were there, Michonne,” Maggie said. “You saw what Negan did.”

“You think Glenn would want this?” Michonne implored. “For you to go through me to get to him?”

“I don’t know what he’d want,” Maggie said, her heart clenching in her chest. “I don’t know, because I never got to say goodbye.”

“He wouldn’t want it, Maggie,” Michonne said. “Your father wouldn’t want this. You know this.”

“The only thing I had, the one thing I had was knowing I was gonna see Glenn’s murderer die, and you took it from me,” Maggie hissed.

“So, takin’ it back, what the hell is that gonna do?” Michonne demanded.

“It’s gonna start things over,” Maggie said.

“No. It’s gonna start something else,” Michonne corrected.

“If he’d butchered Rick in front of you instead of Glenn—”

“Maggie,” Michonne said in warning.

“If you had a child to raise alone because of him,” Maggie went on. “He would’ve been dead a long time ago, and you know it. So, stop actin’ like this is a choice. Stop actin’ like I can just turn it off. Because it has been a year and a half, and I can’t.”

Michonne let out a breath and wiped at her cheek.

“You’re gonna have to find a way,” she said quietly.

“Tell me how,” Maggie said, her voice strained. “If there is something else that I can do, Michonne. Because I can’t keep livin’ like this.”

Michonne seemed to search for the words as a tear slipped down her cheek.

“I—” she stopped herself. “I can’t,” she whispered.

“’Cause there’s nothin’ you can say. There’s only what you do,” Maggie said.

“And you can live with what comes after?” Michonne asked.

“Have to,” Maggie said, barely audible. “Can’t live with it now.”

Maggie held her hand out for the keys and after a moment Michonne handed them over and stepped aside. Without hesitation, Maggie brushed past her and unlocked the door, shutting herself inside. She stared at the shadowy figure inside the cell as he chuckled.

“Aw, she just gave up the keys, huh?” Negan asked. “It’s a shame. She got the blade, but you—you got the fire. My money was on you.”

“So, you remember me,” Maggie said.

“’Course I do,” Negan assured. “It’s why I thought you were gonna win.”

“Good,” Maggie said. “Get on your knees.”

Negan groaned as he got to his feet, wiping at his face as he made his way to the center of the cell.

“You know, I remember you screamin’ in that clearing. I remember how much I broke you, breakin’ open your husband’s head like I did,” he said.

“Glenn,” Maggie said firmly. “His name was Glenn.”

“Right, Anna’s best friend,” he said flippantly. “So, now what? You finally come for… revenge?”

“Justice.”

“Damn,” Negan sighed. “Thought you’d do this a hell of a lot sooner. It take you this long to work up your nerve?”

“I was always gonna settle this,” Maggie said. “What you did to my husband. Get on your knees.”

“What I did to him?” Negan asked. “You mean how I cracked open his skull and popped out his goddamn eyeball? How I bashed his big, beautiful brains into the ground over and over while you and his best friend watched? Is that what you mean? Ah,” he sighed. “I used to say that I didn’t enjoy killin’. That was a lie. Your old man… Christ, I forgot his name again. But he was different. Killin’ him the way I did, ooh, now, that was fun.”

Maggie’s heart pounded in her chest as she slid the key into the hole and turned it. Negan grunted as he got down on his knees.

“Get to it,” he said. “Have your justice. Kill me. It was worth it.”

Maggie furrowed her brow.

“Let me see you in the light,” she said.

“Come on. Kill me,” he said. “You not have it in you?” He asked.

Maggie shook her head.

“Kill me,” he snapped. “This is what you came here for! You kill me!”

“Move into the light.”

Negan rocked forward on his knees.

“Kill me,” he whimpered.

Maggie ripped open the cell door and grabbed him by his shirt, yanking him out of the cell and throwing him against the wall with a thud. He slumped to the ground and sobbed.

“Please,” he said as he finally faced her, closing his eyes to the light. “Please. Please kill me.”

His face was gaunt and sallow, his beard unkempt, and his eyes wet with tears.

“Why?” Maggie demanded.

“You have to. Just do it,” he begged.

“You tell me why!” Maggie shouted. “Tell me! Why should I?”

“So I can be with my wife!” He cried. “So, I can be with Lucille! I should be dead. I have to be dead. And it’s supposed to be you. It has to be you, because I can’t do it. I can’t do it. I’ve tried. I can’t. I can’t be like this. Please, please don’t make me stay like this. Settle it,” he wheezed. “Settle me. Kill me. Please.”

At first, she wanted to feel sorry for him, but the feeling of satisfaction overwhelmed her. Seeing him like this, so absolutely broken, it seemed better than killing him.

“Get back in your cell,” she ordered.

“No,” he whined, shaking his head. “No, no, no. Why?”

“I came to kill Negan,” Maggie said, “and you’re already worse than dead. That settles it.”

Negan’s chin trembled and he pushed himself to his feet, using the wall for balance before he walked pathetically back into his cell, hunched over and sobbing.

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this,” he said, closing the cell behind him. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this.”

Maggie locked the cell as he knelt in front of his cot. Maggie turned and walked out the door, his crying echoing behind her.

* * *

* * *

_BANG!_

Daryl tensed as more gunshots followed, and he turned toward the sound.

“That’s back at the camp,” Daryl said, his mind immediately going to Anna.

“It’s gonna draw those herds,” Rick said.

Daryl crouched.

“Come on,” he said, gesturing for Rick to step into his cupped hands. “1, 2, 3,” he counted off before hoisting Rick up to reach for the hanging roots, only for him to fall back to the ground.

“Shit,” Rick hissed.

“You all right?” Daryl asked.

“Yeah,” Rick assured, getting back to his feet.

“Here we go, we got this,” Daryl said, crouching again. “Come on. Ready?”

Rick put his foot in Daryl’s hands and he counted again, hoisting Rick back up. He cried out as he reached for the lowest root and got his feet against the wall. Daryl stepped back, watching him, ready to catch him if he fell again as he climbed further up.

From above, Daryl heard the snarls of a walker before one tumbled over the edge.

“Look out!” Daryl called, and Rick managed to swing to the side, avoiding the first walker that fell—along with the three others that followed it.

Daryl quickly jabbed his knives into the walkers’ skulls before they could get to their feet and looked back to Rick.

“You okay?” He asked.

“Yeah,” Rick said. “There’s more coming,” Rick warned, and another fell.

Daryl put it down.

“Think you can get to this one?” Rick asked as Daryl looked up to see him gesturing to another root.

Daryl looked down at the walkers at his feet.

“Yeah,” he said, grabbing the first walker and tossing it toward the wall.

He piled the corpses on top of each other and used them as a step stool. As he slowly made his way up the wall, holding onto the root with all his strength, he dodged walkers as they fell. He could feel them pawing at his feet, but he forced himself on. Above him, Rick managed to pull himself up and over the edge, disappearing for a brief moment before he was holding his hand out to him.

“Daryl, you gotta hurry,” Rick said.

“I’m hurryin’!” Daryl snapped.

“Take my hand,” Rick said.

Daryl attempted to grab hold of his hand, but only managed to slip back down. He clung to the root.

“You’re almost there,” Rick said. “Take my hand.”

Daryl anchored himself in his foothold before he slapped his hand into Rick’s. Rick hauled him up, dragging him the rest of the way until he was laid out in the grass.

“Heads up!” Rick called, taking down a walker with his hatchet.

Daryl jumped to his feet, taking out his knives to take out the next few walkers. Without a word, they headed for the road. They immediately spotted the herd making its way toward them. A white horse stood by, and he recognized it from the camp.

“Come on, let’s go,” Daryl said, heading for his bike.

“Wait,” Rick said. “I’m gonna stay back, lead ‘em away from the camp.”

“What?” Daryl asked, unsure if he’d heard Rick correctly.

“I’m staying,” Rick repeated.

“No, man,” Daryl huffed.

“I’m not givin’ up on it. Not yet,” Rick said firmly.

Daryl thought quickly, trying to think of the best course of action.

“The river,” he said, pulling up his bike. “Take ‘em to the bridge. It ain’t ever gonna hold, and they’ll get washed out to sea.”

“No, man, I’m not sacrificing the bridge,” Rick said. “I’ll find another way.”

“There ain’t no other way, man!” Daryl argued.

“I’m not destroying the bridge,” Rick insisted. “We need it.”

“Fine,” Daryl said after a moment, and Rick started toward the horse. “Hey,” he called.

Rick paused and turned toward him.

“Be safe,” Daryl instructed.

“You, too,” Rick said, climbing onto the horse.

Daryl got onto his bike and revved the engine before he turned it around and raced back to the camp.


	15. Chapter Fourteen

Anna and Laura helped Enid pack up the medical tent. They walked in and out of the tent toting crates of supplies and loading them into the back of a trailer headed for Alexandria, while Jessie and Emma focused on loading the guns with the help of the Oceansiders and Kingdomers. On her third trip, Anna paused to stretch her back, grimacing at the way her spine popped. Laura set a crate of supplies down in the trailer.

“You good?” She asked, looking at Anna.

“Yeah, just stretching,” Anna assured, and the two started back toward the tent. “I’ve got to ask, when the others left, why did you stay?”

Laura paused, and Anna waited.

“Arat was my friend,” Laura said. “She believed in this whole thing, she believed in you,” she said, gesturing to Anna. “And you believed in us.”

Anna nodded, and Laura prepared to head into the tent when Jerry spoke.

“Everything okay?” He asked.

Anna and Laura looked over to see Carol peering into the trees.

“Take these trunks and lock them in the medical tent, now,” Carol ordered.

“On it, Boss,” Jerry said, taking the first trunk and heading toward Anna and Laura.

They moved aside, and Jerry disappeared within.

“If we hurry, we can make it to the Kingdom by nightfall,” Carol said as the other trunks were taken into the medical tent.

Anna and Laura approached Carol just as the woman drew her gun. Anna did the same. At that moment, eleven Saviors spilled out of the trees wielding axes and machetes. Except Jed, who aimed a gun at Carol.

“Where’d you get the gun, Jed?” Carol asked, aiming her own gun at him.

The others raised their weapons.

“Alden wasn’t as quick as you,” Jed said. “Surprised me, too.”

“How about we all lower our weapons. Nobody gets hurt today,” Carol said.

“That’s right,” Jed said. “Listen to the woman. Drop your guns. Party’s over.”

“Jed, you don’t want to do this,” Anna said, calling his attention to her.

“I really do. You see, uh, I took the scenic route, but I figured it out,” he said, starting forward slowly. “Oceanside’s killin’ us. So now, bein’ that it’s war, they’re gonna get what’s comin’ to ‘em.”

_Oceanside?_ Anna thought, frowning deeply, and then suddenly everything made sense.

“Stop it, Jed,” Carol ordered gently. “You’re gonna get everybody killed.”

“Excuse me, Carol. You ain’t bosslady no more,” Jed said. “You’re a weak little woman who got in a lucky shot. And now…” he pulled back the hammer on his gun. “Listen to what I say. Now step aside.”

Carol hesitated a moment before lowering her gun and stepping to the side. Jed walked forward and carefully took the keys from her belt, his gun still aimed. Just as he turned away, Carol reeled back and kicked his knee in, forcing him to the ground before backhanding him.

More Saviors ran out of the trees, and an Oceansider astride a white horse turned, aiming her gun.

“No!” Carol shouted just before Jed jumped up, his gun aimed at Laura.

Anna’s eyes widened and, without thinking, she slammed into Laura, shoving her out of the way.

_BANG!_

It was nothing, for a minute. A pinprick. Then a burning sensation radiated outward from the space below her bellybutton. Pawing at her stomach, she stared wide-eyed at the blood covering her hands and faster than she could register the world was rushing past her.

Distantly, she could hear shouting, but it all sounded muffled—like she was beneath the water. And all she could feel was the burning.

There was pressure on her lower abdomen, and she had the vague idea of floating as the world grew darker. Jessie came into blurry focus for a split second—was he crying? —before his face was replaced by Enid’s.

“—save her—”

“—pressure—bleed out—”

There was a high-pitched ringing in her ears.

“—with me—”

She tilted her head; Jessie and Emma stood back. They looked so scared. She couldn’t fathom why.

“Jess.”

Barely able to lift her hand, she reached out to him.

He rushed toward her and fell to his knees beside her, his hand wrapping around hers.

There was a flash of pain and her vision went black, but then she could see him again.

“Anna, I don’t—I’m so sorry, I—”

“It’s… okay…” she whispered, a small, weak smile on her lips. “I’ll be...okay. Just...stay with me.”

* * *

* * *

Daryl sped into the camp, jumping off his bike and dropping it unceremoniously to the ground. There were no more gunshots, but a lot of dead Saviors scattered around the camp. Carol stood just outside the medical tent beside Laura, staring through the flap before she turned to see him. Carol rushed to him.

“What happened?” Daryl asked, looking around at the carnage.

“Daryl,” she said, holding him still.

“Where is she?” He asked.

“She—” Carol paused, swallowing hard and looking back over her shoulder toward the medical tent.

She sighed heavily and looked back at him but before she could say more, he pushed past her. Daryl felt his stomach drop and his heart stop beating. It felt as though he were walking knee-deep through the sand, a ringing in his ears. He pulled the tent flap aside and froze.

Enid stepped aside, her hands covered in blood and tears streaking her face, and began to gather medical supplies into a bag. Jessie knelt beside the cot, rocking gently, his body shaking with sobs.

When Jessie looked over his shoulder at Daryl, he got to his feet.

“Is she—” he couldn’t get the words out.

“She’s alive,” Enid said quickly. “Stable for now. Jerry’s getting a truck ready to take her to the Kingdom.”

Behind him, he heard the low hum of an engine pulling up and a door open.

Daryl knelt beside her. He opened his mouth to say her name, but nothing came out. With trembling hands, he reached up and brushed away the dark hair that stuck to her forehead. He glanced down at the blood staining her skin, her shirt torn open and a reddening bandage wrapped around her lower abdomen. He slipped his hand into hers and gave it a squeeze, waiting for her to squeeze back like she always did.

After a moment, he set her hand down at her side and rose to his feet, turning to the others.

“What the hell happened?” Daryl asked as Jerry walked in carrying a stretcher.

Daryl’s eyes never left Anna’s face as Jessie and Jerry carefully moved her onto the stretcher. Her left hand fell over the side of the cot, her silver bracelet catching the light shining into the tent. Emma took a step forward and gently placed her hand onto the cot, her hand lingering on her wrist a moment, seeming to be feeling for a pulse. She let out a quiet sigh and stepped back, pressing her lips together, apparently satisfied with what she found.

“The Saviors came back to take the guns,” Emma said as she, Enid, and Daryl followed Jerry and Jessie carrying Anna out.

Enid pulled open the back passenger-side door to the dirty grey truck, allowing Jerry and Jessie to push Anna inside before she climbed in after her.

“Jed shot at me,” Laura said, walking over. “She pushed me out of the way. She saved my life.”

Daryl stared at her, his eyes narrowing. He felt anger rising in his chest. It took everything in him to turn to Emma.

“Where is he?” He growled.

“He’s gone—he ran off with the other Saviors after we started firing,” Carol said, stepping up beside him.

“We need to get her to the Kingdom,” Emma said, placing a hand on his shoulder as Jessie and Jerry climbed into the front of the truck.

“Get her there,” Daryl said, clenching and unclenching his fists. “The herds merged. Rick’s leading them away and he’s gonna need help.”

“Daryl—”

“Please,” Daryl said, cutting her off. “Get her there.”

“I will,” Emma finally said, turning and climbing into the truck beside Jessie before they pulled out.

He watched as the truck sped out of camp and over the bridge, taking the fastest route to the Kingdom.

“We need to get to Rick,” Daryl said gathering his crossbow and starting toward his bike.

“You should head to the Kingdom,” Carol said. “You need to be with Anna.”

He wanted to follow. He wanted to be there with her. He wanted her to be okay.

“We need to help Rick. Them herds are headed this way and if we don’t redirect them it won’t matter if she gets there; they’ll plow right through Hilltop and then the Kingdom,” Daryl explained, pulling up his bike and swinging his leg over.

Carol nodded, her face grim.

“Okay,” she said, climbing on behind him.

He kicked started his bike and took off out of the camp and towards the bridge, hoping to circle back around.

* * *

* * *

There was a steady, annoying beeping sound next to Anna’s ear and a numbness to her body she couldn’t quite place. Furrowing her brow, she slowly opened her eyes, squinting at the bright light shining through the window and sheer curtains. Looking to her right, she saw the source of the beeping was a heart monitor with an IV bag hanging from a hook next to it.

She looked around the room, unsure of where she was. There was a small table beside her bed with a vase of purple flowers and a small picture of a farm. On the other side of the room was a red chair, her spear leaning against it, with another small table and a lamp beside it. Next to the window was a brown dresser with a stack of folded linens, a white basin and a matching pitcher.

The door creaked open and she stiffened, her head whipping around to see Enid walking in, bandages in hand. The young woman didn’t seem to notice Anna’s alertness until she started towards her. Enid froze, her eyes wide.

“You’re awake,” she breathed before rushing forward. “How are you feeling?” She asked.

“Numb. What happened?” Anna asked, her voice hoarse as she tried to sit up, only for Enid to gently push her back down.

“You were shot in the lower abdomen. You need to stay still,” Enid instructed.

“How long have I been out?” Anna asked, frowning.

“A few days. It was pretty touch and go for a while,” Enid said. “I’m going to redo your bandages.”

Anna nodded as Enid pulled aside the blanket and lifted her shirt to reveal a bandage covering the area a few inches below her bellybutton. Carefully, Enid removed the old bandage, and Anna strained her neck to see the wound.

“What’s the damage?” Anna asked, her heart rate rising as evident by the beeping rapidly picking up.

Enid was quite for a long moment, gingerly cleaning around the wound before covering it again.

“I—” she finally began before the door opened again and Jessie walked in, his eyes hollow and tired.

The moment he saw Anna was awake, he lit up and rushed to her side.

“Anna!” He called, kneeling beside her, and taking her hand. “Thank God,” he said, pressing her knuckles into his forehead before he looked up at her, his dark eyes watery.

Enid gathered the dirty bandages and medical supplies before quickly slipping out of the room.

“I was so worried,” Jessie said. “I thought you’d never wake up. If Enid hadn’t been there, I don’t—” he paused, shaking his head. “It’s good that she was there. And that we got you to the Kingdom in time. And—” he stopped again and sighed. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Where’s Daryl?” She asked. “Is everyone okay?”

“A lot… happened,” Jessie said with a heavy sigh. “Daryl’s okay. He’s out with Michonne looking for Rick….”

“What happened to Rick?” Anna asked, frowning.

Jessie took a deep breath.

“The herds merged and started for the camp after you were shot. Rick tried to lead them away, but they still got to the bridge and he had to blow it up…,” Jessie said, “while he was still on it. Michonne and Daryl are looking for his body.”

“He’s gone?” Anna asked, unable to believe it. “Rick’s gone?”

“Yeah,” Jessie said solemnly. “He’s gone.”

She looked away, trying to process the information. The door opened again and Carol walked in. Jessie pushed himself to his feet and walked over to Carol.

“Not now,” Jessie said quietly, seeming to think Anna couldn’t hear him. “I just told her about Rick. Give her some time.”

“She’ll want to know,” Carol replied.

“What’s wrong?” Anna asked, looking between them as panic rose in her chest, the heart rate monitor picking up again.

Jessie looked ready to argue again before Carol gave him a look and he left, shaking his head as he closed the door. Carol looked to Anna, her expression unreadable as she approached, carefully sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Jed shot you,” she began.

“Yeah. I—I remember. He was aiming for Laura,” Anna said.

“The bullet broke apart on impact. Enid was able to stabilize you so we could get you to the Kingdom,” Carol went on. “The doctors got the bullet out, but….” She took a breath. “From what they could see, it did some damage.”

“What are you saying?” Anna asked.

“I won’t sugarcoat it,” Carol said. “The doctors said you may have trouble conceiving. There’s—” she took a breath, “there’s a chance you may not be able to at all.”

Anna stared at Carol, her words slowly cycling through her mind, soaking into the crevices of her brain like black ink staining a page. Despite the numbness of her body, she felt a heavy weight on her chest, pressing down until she could barely breathe.

“Thank you for telling me,” she said, hardly loud enough to be heard as she turned her head to stare at the ceiling.

“Anna, I’m so sorry,” Carol said, brushing her hand before getting up and walking to the door.

The words hung heavy in the air as the door creaked open and shut.

* * *

Jessie brought her lunch and dinner, but she turned her head to the wall to feign sleep so that he would leave her alone. It was nighttime before Daryl walked into the room. He pulled the armchair over to her bed and sat down, sighing heavily, but she kept her head turned away, unsure if she could look at him.

She felt his hand slip into hers and give a light squeeze. She began to shake, her heart rising in her throat. Finally, she turned her head to look at him. At her movement, his hand tightened around hers.

There were dark bags under his eyes, and his skin was pale--he clearly hadn’t slept much in the last few days. She wanted to pull him to her, but she couldn’t bring herself to touch him anymore than she already was.

“I—” she stammered. She cleared her throat. “Rick?” She asked, though it was only part of what she wanted to say.

He shook his head.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

He nodded and leaned forward.

“How are you feeling?” He asked, entwining her fingers with his.

She looked at their joined hands for a long moment, then looked up into his eyes. Her bottom lip quivered, and she couldn’t stop the words from pouring out.

“I can’t—I can’t have—”

I know,” he said.

She clenched her jaw, grinding her teeth together as tears teetered on her eyelids before falling.

“It’s gonna be okay,” he said quietly.

* * *

* * *

* * *

The story continues in... _Adrift: Part Two_


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